Mason Lake is a natural elongated

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 ...

south of Belfair, Washington, United States in Mason County. Named for

Charles H. Mason Charles H. Mason (1830 – July 29, 1859) was an American politician, the first Secretary of State for Washington Territory, and acting Governor for two and a half years while the territorial Governor, Isaac Ingalls Stevens, conducted rail ...

, the first secretary of Washington Territory, the lake is on the isthmus of the Kitsap Peninsula between the Hood Canal and

Pickering Passage Pickering Passage is a strait, in the southern end of part of Puget Sound in the U.S. state of Washington. Entirely within Mason County, the Pickering Passage separates Hartstine Island from the mainland, and connects Totten Inlet with the nor ...

of the

Case Inlet Case Inlet, in southern Puget Sound in the U.S. state of Washington, is an arm of water between Key Peninsula on the east and Hartstine Island on the west. Its northern end, called North Bay, reaches nearly to Hood Canal, creating the defining isth ...

. The smaller Benson Lake is to its eastern side. Mason Lake is approximately 1000 acres in size and four miles long. Its maximum depth is 90 feet and the mean depth is 48 feet. With 10.9 miles of shoreline, the lake sits at 194 feet above sea level. More than a thousand residents live yearlong around the shores of Mason Lake, the second largest freshwater lake in Mason County, second to the manmade Lake Cushman to its northwest. Originally a summer vacation community, the lake has always been known for its power boats, jet skis and water skiing. A county park provides picnic and boat launching access. Swimming is limited to private access parks and residences. The single lane boat launch is on the steeper side and winches tend to get jammed if they're in the locked or retrieval state. The community of Mason Lake is located centrally between Grapeview and Harstine Island to the east, and Twanoh State Park to the west. Much of the area surrounding Mason Lake is commercial timberland in various states of harvest.

References

External links

Profile of Mason Lake

page of the official Mason County tourism website
Mason/Benson Lake Community Club

Mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...

Bodies of water of Mason County, Washington {{MasonCountyWA-geo-stub