Teen and Girl Terrified by Mysterious Activity on Wizard Island

Crater Lake National Park in Oregon is one of those places that just feels different. It's the deepest lake in the United States, formed when Mount Mazama collapsed roughly 7,700 years ago after a massive volcanic eruption. The water is incredibly pure — you can see over 130 feet down into it. And sitting right in the middle of this stunning blue caldera is Wizard Island, a cinder cone that rises about 763 feet above the water. A video I came across recently shares a fascinating story about two kids who had a creepy experience on that very island back in 1997. The storyteller from Campfire Coordinates does a great job setting the scene — he even cracks open a special beer to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking before diving into the tale. The story centers around Joey, a 15-year-old who spent the summer working with his Uncle Roy doing boat tours on the lake. Uncle Roy was a concessioner who ran tours to Wizard Island, and Joey became the young tour guide, sharing facts and history with visitors. One afternoon, Uncle Roy's 9-year-old granddaughter Abby joined Joey on the boat for the Wizard Island tour. When they dropped off a group of tourists who wanted to hike to the top of the cinder cone, Joey and Abby decided to take their time and explore at a slower pace. That's when things got weird. First, Joey heard rocks being dislodged and rolling down the slope off to his right. Not once, but three times — and the third one sounded deliberately tossed. He knew Uncle Roy was the only one with a boat, and camping isn't allowed on the island. The tourists ahead of them wouldn't be throwing rocks to mess with him. So who — or what — was out there? Then, as they continued up the trail, Abby pointed up the hill behind Joey and asked, "Why do trees move?" There was no wind. Joey looked around and saw a tree swaying when it shouldn't be. When he looked up the trail, he didn't see anything — but something was definitely moving through the forest. The story cuts off there, but you can imagine how unsettling this would be for two kids alone on a remote island in the middle of a volcanic caldera. Crater Lake has a long history of strange reports. The rangers have seen unexplained lights on Wizard Island at night that disappear when they investigate. The "Old Man of the Lake" — a log that's been floating vertically in the water for over a century — adds to the eerie atmosphere. And the dense forests around the rim and on Wizard Island provide perfect cover for anything that might want to stay hidden. Oregon's wilderness is prime territory for Sasquatch sightings. The state has thousands of acres of national forests and BLM land, and the remote, rugged terrain around Crater Lake fits the profile of areas where these elusive beings are often reported. The thick forests, the isolation, the steep volcanic terrain — it's exactly the kind of place where you might encounter something unexpected. If you're interested in hearing the full story told around the campfire, definitely check out the video. The storyteller has a way of building tension that really makes you feel like you're right there on that trail with Joey and Abby.