# Wizard Island

> Source: [Wizard Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island)
> Clipped: 2026-07-06

Wizard Island

Volcanic cinder cone


For the island in Cosmoledo Atoll in Seychelles, see [Wizard Island, Cosmoledo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island,_Cosmoledo "Wizard Island, Cosmoledo"). For the album by The Jeff Lorber Fusion, see [Wizard Island (album)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island_(album) "Wizard Island (album)").

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| [icon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg) | This article **needs [more citations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability "Wikipedia:Verifiability")**. Please help [improve this article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Wizard_Island "Special:EditPage/Wizard Island") by [adding citations to reliable sources](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners "Help:Referencing for beginners"). Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. *Find sources:* ["Wizard Island"](https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Wizard+Island%22) – [news](https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Wizard+Island%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1) **·** [newspapers](https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22Wizard+Island%22&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks) **·** [books](https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22Wizard+Island%22+-wikipedia) **·** [scholar](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Wizard+Island%22) **·** [JSTOR](https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Wizard+Island%22&acc=on&wc=on) *(September 2022)* *([Learn how and when to remove this message](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal "Help:Maintenance template removal"))* |

| Wizard Island | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
| Highest point | |
| [Elevation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summit "Summit") | 6,933 ft (2,113 m)[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_note-pb-1) |
| [Prominence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topographic_prominence "Topographic prominence") | 755 ft (230 m)(varies with water level)[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_note-pb-1) |
| Coordinates | [42°56′20″N 122°8′45″W / 42.93889°N 122.14583°W / 42.93889; -122.14583](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Wizard_Island&params=42_56_20_N_122_8_45_W_type:mountain_region:US-OR_scale:100000)[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_note-2) |
| Geography | |
|  | |
| Location | [Klamath County](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klamath_County,_Oregon "Klamath County, Oregon"), Oregon, U.S. |
| [Parent range](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_range "Mountain range") | [Cascades](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascade_Range "Cascade Range") |
| [Topo map](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topographic_map "Topographic map") | [USGS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Geological_Survey "United States Geological Survey") Crater Lake West |
| Geology | |
| [Mountain type](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountain_types "List of mountain types") | [Cinder cone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinder_cone "Cinder cone") |
| [Volcanic arc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_arc "Volcanic arc") | [Cascade Volcanic Arc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascade_Volcanoes "Cascade Volcanoes") |
| [Last eruption](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_volcanic_eruptions "Types of volcanic eruptions") | About 4600 BC[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_note-GVPWIEH-3) |
| Climbing | |
| [Easiest route](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_route "Normal route") | [Trail](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail "Trail")[[4]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_note-GWI-4) with boat access |

**Wizard Island** is a volcanic [cinder cone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinder_cone "Cinder cone") which forms an island at the west end of [Crater Lake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crater_Lake "Crater Lake") in [Crater Lake National Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crater_Lake_National_Park "Crater Lake National Park"), [Oregon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon "Oregon"). The top of the island reaches 6,933 feet (2,113 m) above sea level, about 755 feet (230 m) above the average surface of the lake.

The cone is capped by a [volcanic crater](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_crater "Volcanic crater") about 500 feet (150 m) wide and 100 feet (30 m) deep. The crater was named the "Witches Cauldron" by [William Gladstone Steel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gladstone_Steel "William Gladstone Steel") in 1885, who also gave Wizard Island its name at the same time.[[5]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_note-5)
The land area of the island is 315.85 acres (127.82 ha).

## Formation

Wizard Island was created after [Mount Mazama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Mazama "Mount Mazama"), a large [complex volcano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_volcano "Complex volcano"), erupted violently approximately 7,700 years ago, forming its [caldera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldera "Caldera") which now contains Crater Lake. Following the cataclysmic caldera-forming eruption, which left a hole about 4,000 feet (1,200 m) deep where the mountain had once stood, a series of smaller eruptions over the next several hundred years formed several cinder cones on the caldera floor. The highest of these cones, the only one to rise above the current lake level, is Wizard Island, which rises over 2,700 feet (820 m) above the lowest point on the caldera floor and the deepest point in the lake.[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_note-6)

Another large cinder cone, Merriam Cone, is in the northeast part of the lake. Although Merriam Cone rises about 1,400 feet (430 m) above the caldera floor, its summit is still 505 feet (154 m) below the average lake level. Its surface features and lack of a crater indicate that Merriam Cone formed underwater.

## Access

Current public access to Wizard Island is available only during the summer months when boat tours on Crater Lake are in operation. The tours depart from Cleetwood Cove at the north end of the lake, and circle the lake in the counterclockwise direction, stopping at a dock at Governors Bay on the south side of Wizard Island.[[7]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_note-Crater_Lake_Hospitality-7)

Passengers on boat trips early in the day may choose to disembark on the island, but must be prepared to spend the entire day on the island if subsequent boats are too full to take on additional passengers. Those on late afternoon boat trips are not permitted to disembark. A final boat is dispatched at the end of each day to pick up any stragglers since overnight camping is not permitted on the island.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed "Wikipedia:Citation needed")*]

Two hiking trails are available on Wizard Island, one of which switchbacks up the flanks of the cone and circles the crater on top while the other trail meanders from the dock towards the western end of the island.[[7]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_note-Crater_Lake_Hospitality-7)

* [![Looking up out of the crater of Wizard Island from the bottom](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/View_from_bottom_of_crater_of_Wizard_Island_on_Crater_Lake.jpg/250px-View_from_bottom_of_crater_of_Wizard_Island_on_Crater_Lake.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:View_from_bottom_of_crater_of_Wizard_Island_on_Crater_Lake.jpg "Looking up out of the crater of Wizard Island from the bottom")

  Looking up out of the crater of Wizard Island from the bottom
* [![Crater Lake and Wizard Island in 1997](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Crater_Lake_1997.jpg/250px-Crater_Lake_1997.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Crater_Lake_1997.jpg "Crater Lake and Wizard Island in 1997")

  Crater Lake and Wizard Island in 1997
* [![Crater Lake bathymetry survey showing Wizard Island and Merriam Cone](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Mazama_bathymetry_survey_map.jpg/250px-Mazama_bathymetry_survey_map.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mazama_bathymetry_survey_map.jpg "Crater Lake bathymetry survey showing Wizard Island and Merriam Cone")

  Crater Lake [bathymetry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathymetry "Bathymetry") survey showing Wizard Island and Merriam Cone
* [![Geologic map of Wizard Island and the lake floor](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Geologic_map_of_Crater_Lake_floor.png/250px-Geologic_map_of_Crater_Lake_floor.png)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geologic_map_of_Crater_Lake_floor.png "Geologic map of Wizard Island and the lake floor")

  Geologic map of Wizard Island and the lake floor

[![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Panorama_from_rim_of_crater_of_Wizard_Island.jpg/1280px-Panorama_from_rim_of_crater_of_Wizard_Island.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Panorama_from_rim_of_crater_of_Wizard_Island.jpg)

Panoramic view of the volcanic crater of Wizard Island, seen from the rim

## Notes

1. [1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_ref-pb_1-0) [2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_ref-pb_1-1) ["Wizard Island Peak, Oregon"](http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=2454). *Peakbagger.com*. Retrieved 14 November 2008.
2. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_ref-2) ["Wizard Island"](https://edits.nationalmap.gov/apps/gaz-domestic/public/search/names/1152566). *[Geographic Names Information System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_Names_Information_System "Geographic Names Information System")*. [United States Geological Survey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Geological_Survey "United States Geological Survey"), [United States Department of the Interior](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_the_Interior "United States Department of the Interior"). Retrieved 14 November 2008.
3. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_ref-GVPWIEH_3-0) ["Crater Lake: Eruptive History"](https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=322160&vtab=Eruptions). *[Global Volcanism Program](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Volcanism_Program "Global Volcanism Program")*. [Smithsonian Institution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithsonian_Institution "Smithsonian Institution"). Retrieved 15 January 2009.
4. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_ref-GWI_4-0) Waesche, Hugh H. (July 1934). ["The Geology Of Wizard Island"](http://npshistory.com/nature_notes/crla/vol7-1b.htm#2). *Crater Lake National Park: Nature Notes, Volume VII No. 1*. National Park Service. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20141112161437/http://www.npshistory.com/nature_notes/crla/vol7-1b.htm#2) from the original on 12 November 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
5. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_ref-5) McArthur, Lewis A. and Lewis L. (1992). *Oregon Geographic Names* (6th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 957.
6. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_ref-6) ["Post-Caldera Volcanism and Crater Lake"](https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/crater-lake/post-caldera-volcanism-and-crater-lake). United States Geological Survey. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230713192143/https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/crater-lake/post-caldera-volcanism-and-crater-lake) from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
7. [1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_ref-Crater_Lake_Hospitality_7-0) [2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island#cite_ref-Crater_Lake_Hospitality_7-1) ["Wizard Island Tours"](https://www.travelcraterlake.com/things-to-do/boat-tours/wizard-island-tours). Crater Lake Hospitality. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230513211604/https://www.travelcraterlake.com/things-to-do/boat-tours/wizard-island-tours/) from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.

## References

* Harris, Stephen L. (2005). *Fire Mountains of the West: The Cascade and Mono Lake Volcanoes (3rd ed.)*. [Mountain Press Publishing Company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Press_Publishing_Company "Mountain Press Publishing Company"). p. 454. [ISBN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [0-87842-511-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-87842-511-X "Special:BookSources/0-87842-511-X").

## External links

[![Wikimedia Commons logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/40px-Commons-logo.svg.png)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Wizard Island](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Wizard%20Island "commons:Category:Wizard Island").

* [USGS Crater Lake Data Clearinghouse](https://craterlake.wr.usgs.gov/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20001204164900/http://craterlake.wr.usgs.gov/) 4 December 2000 at the [Wayback Machine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine")
* [USGS Crater Lake Bathymetry Images](https://craterlake.wr.usgs.gov/bathy_images.html)
* [USGS: Crater Lake, OR: Wizard Island Perspective View](https://pubs.usgs.gov/dds/dds-72/site/wiz.htm)
* [USGS: Crater Lake, OR: Merriam Cone Perspective View](https://pubs.usgs.gov/dds/dds-72/site/merrm.htm)
* [Crater Lake National Park](https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm) (National Park Service)
* [Crater Lake Boat Tours](http://www.craterlakelodges.com/Activities-1843.html) (NPS concessionaire site)

| * [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Crater_Lake "Template:Crater Lake") * [t](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Crater_Lake "Template talk:Crater Lake") * [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Crater_Lake "Special:EditPage/Template:Crater Lake")  [Crater Lake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crater_Lake "Crater Lake") | |
| --- | --- |
| Natural places | * [Mount Mazama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Mazama "Mount Mazama") * [Phantom Ship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_Ship_(island) "Phantom Ship (island)") * [Mount Scott](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Scott_(Klamath_County,_Oregon) "Mount Scott (Klamath County, Oregon)") * [Old Man of the Lake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Man_of_the_Lake "Old Man of the Lake") * [Union Peak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Peak "Union Peak") * [Wizard Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_Island) |
| Structures | * Comfort Stations   + [No. 68](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_Station_No._68 "Comfort Station No. 68")   + [No. 72](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_Station_No._72 "Comfort Station No. 72") * [Crater Lake Lodge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crater_Lake_Lodge "Crater Lake Lodge") * [Crater Lake Superintendent's Residence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crater_Lake_Superintendent's_Residence "Crater Lake Superintendent's Residence") * [Sinnott Memorial Observation Station](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinnott_Memorial_Observation_Station "Sinnott Memorial Observation Station") * [Watchman Lookout Station](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchman_Lookout_Station "Watchman Lookout Station") |
| People | * [Clarence Dutton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Dutton "Clarence Dutton") * [John Wesley Hillman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley_Hillman "John Wesley Hillman") * [Franklin B. Sprague](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_B._Sprague "Franklin B. Sprague") * [William Gladstone Steel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gladstone_Steel "William Gladstone Steel") |
| Designated areas | * [Crater Lake National Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crater_Lake_National_Park "Crater Lake National Park") * Historic Districts   + [Munson Valley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munson_Valley_Historic_District "Munson Valley Historic District")   + [Rim Village](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rim_Village_Historic_District "Rim Village Historic District") * [Rim Drive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rim_Drive "Rim Drive") * [Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_Legacy_Scenic_Byway "Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway") |