Angel Lake is a glacial
tarn in the northern part of the
East Humboldt Range
The East Humboldt Range is a mountain range in Elko County, Nevada, United States. It is located along the eastern edge of the upper watershed of the Humboldt River, which flows to the southwest from its source just north of the range. The ra ...
, in central
Elko County
Elko County is a county in the northeastern corner of Nevada, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,702. Its county seat is Elko. The county was established on March 5, 1869, from Lander County.
Elko County is the fourth ...
in the northeastern part of the state of
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
. It is located at approximately , and at an elevation of 8378 feet (2553 m). It has an area of approximately 13 acres (5.2 hectares), and a depth of up to 29 feet (9 m). A scenic highway,
State Route 231, climbs from
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
's exit 351 in
Wells
Wells most commonly refers to:
* Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England
* Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground
* Wells (name)
Wells may also refer to:
Places Canada
*Wells, British Columbia
England
* Wells ...
to the eastern shore of the lake.
Located at the base of a steep
cirque
A (; from the Latin word ') is an amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion. Alternative names for this landform are corrie (from Scottish Gaelic , meaning a pot or cauldron) and (; ). A cirque may also be a similarly shaped landform ...
, the lake is surrounded by high cliffs.
Greys Peak
Greys Peak is the northernmost summit of the East Humboldt Range of Elko County in northeastern Nevada about southwest of the community of Wells. It rises over from the Humboldt Valley, making it one of the most visually prominent peaks in ...
(10,674 ft, 3253 m) rises high to the west, and to the south is a group of
pinnacles
A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was mainly ...
known as Chimney Rock. Far below and to the east lies
Clover Valley and the community of
Wells
Wells most commonly refers to:
* Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England
* Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground
* Wells (name)
Wells may also refer to:
Places Canada
*Wells, British Columbia
England
* Wells ...
.
Angel Lake is one of the most popular recreation sites in the area. On its shore is a 26-site campground, and an 11-site picnic area. The lake itself is available for fishing and non-motorized rafts. A paved trailhead provides access for routes to nearby Smith Lake and to the more distant Greys Lake. Down the access road can be found a trailhead for Winchell Lake, and the Angel Creek Campground.
The lake was named after Warren M. Angel, an early rancher in nearby Clover Valley.
External links
Nevada Adventures
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Lakes of Elko County, Nevada
East Humboldt Range
Lakes of Nevada