Clear Lake is a mountain
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
86 mi (138 km) northeast of
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.
As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in
Linn County. It has two main bodies connected by a bottleneck. The lake is primarily fed by snow runoff from nearby
Mount Washington
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.
The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, ...
and the surrounding areas. The runoff filters through caverns for more than 20 years before emptying into Clear Lake. The lake is also fed by two small creeks, which may dry up seasonally, along with Great Spring, the source of the McKenzie River.
Clear Lake is the headwaters of the
McKenzie River, which is the sole source of drinking water for Eugene.
Diving
Clear Lake is reported to be one of the most exceptional freshwater dive spots in Oregon.
Submerged deep in the lake is a stand of upright trees that were killed approximately 3,000 years ago when volcanic activity created the lake. The trees are remarkably preserved due to the cold year-round water temperatures of between 35–43 °F (1.6–6 °C).
[
]
Hiking
Clear Lake is circled by Clear Lake Loop Trail, a hike loop made up of Clear Lake Trail and McKenzie River Trail that is long. An accompanying trail guide prepared by Willamette National Forest tells visitors about Clear Lake and the neighboring lava field and forest.
See also
* List of lakes in Oregon
This is a list of the lakes and reservoirs of Oregon.
Gallery
File:AbertRim-right.jpg, Lake Abert and the Abert Rim
File:Applegate Lake Oregon.jpg, Applegate Lake in Jackson County
File:Lake Billy Chinook, Deschutes National Forest, Oregon (ph ...
References
External links
*
*
Lakes of Oregon
Lakes of Linn County, Oregon
Willamette National Forest
Protected areas of Linn County, Oregon
{{LinnCountyOR-geo-stub