The short answer is, yes, Crater Lake is a National Park. But should it be?
There are many different designations that can be assigned by the federal government. The main choices for a place like Crater Lake would be park, monument, reserve, or preserve. The difference between the main two, park and monument, is that a park has a larger variety of resources and areas. A monument is more about a single significant resource and less diversity.
To put Crater Lake in context, think about Mt. St. Helens. That’s a national park, right? Nope. It’s a “national volcanic monument”.
I’m not saying that Crater Lake isn’t beautiful or that it shouldn’t be preserved. I’m glad it is federally protected forever! It’s fantastically blue and I’m glad we stopped there. But does it live up to the “national park” rating. I don’t think so. While I’m sure you could stretch to find other things to see besides the lake, that’s really the bulk of it. And yes, you can drive around to see it from different angles but how much does that really add to your experience?
The real reason why it’s a park and not a monument? It was designated as a park in 1902. The Antiquities Act didn’t come along until 1906 and that’s what created the “monument” category. It allows presidents to declare anything a national monument without going through a full legislative process.
I don’t want to sound like I’m bagging on Crater Lake too much, but there are a lot of national parks where you can easily spend a week exploring what they have to offer. I wouldn’t put Crater Lake in that tier.
Is Crater Lake a National Park?
The short answer is, yes, Crater Lake is a National Park. But should it be?
There are many different designations that can be assigned by the federal government. The main choices for a place like Crater Lake would be park, monument, reserve, or preserve. The difference between the main two, park and monument, is that a park has a larger variety of resources and areas. A monument is more about a single significant resource and less diversity.
To put Crater Lake in context, think about Mt. St. Helens. That’s a national park, right? Nope. It’s a “national volcanic monument”.
I’m not saying that Crater Lake isn’t beautiful or that it shouldn’t be preserved. I’m glad it is federally protected forever! It’s fantastically blue and I’m glad we stopped there. But does it live up to the “national park” rating. I don’t think so. While I’m sure you could stretch to find other things to see besides the lake, that’s really the bulk of it. And yes, you can drive around to see it from different angles but how much does that really add to your experience?
The real reason why it’s a park and not a monument? It was designated as a park in 1902. The Antiquities Act didn’t come along until 1906 and that’s what created the “monument” category. It allows presidents to declare anything a national monument without going through a full legislative process.
I don’t want to sound like I’m bagging on Crater Lake too much, but there are a lot of national parks where you can easily spend a week exploring what they have to offer. I wouldn’t put Crater Lake in that tier.