Panguitch Lake () was originally a large natural

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 ...

(777 acres) that has now been expanded by the creation of a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

to become a

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

with a maximum surface area of . The lake, which drains into the

Sevier River The Sevier River (pronounced "severe") is a -long river in the Great Basin of southwestern Utah in the United States. Originating west of Bryce Canyon National Park, the river flows north through a chain of high farming valleys and steep canyons ...

is located on the

Markagunt Plateau Markagunt Plateau is a volcanic field in southern Utah, United States. Formed in a region of older volcanics, it consists of several cinder cones and associated lava flows. Some of the lava flows feature lava tubes such as Mammoth Cave, while oth ...

, between

Panguitch, Utah Panguitch ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Garfield County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,520 at the 2010 census, and was estimated in 2018 to be 1,691. The name Panguitch comes from a Southern Paiute word meaning “Big Fish ...

and

Cedar Breaks National Monument Cedar Breaks National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located in the U.S. state of Utah near Cedar City. Cedar Breaks is a natural amphitheater, stretching across , with a depth of over . The elevation of the rim of the amphitheater is over ...

. The lake is located in the

Dixie National Forest Dixie National Forest is a United States National Forest in Utah with headquarters in Cedar City. It occupies almost two million acres (8,000 km²) and stretches for about across southern Utah. The largest national forest in Utah, it str ...

in a high tourist use area near three

national parks A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual ...

and one

national monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a spec ...

. Panguitch Lake contains several campgrounds. Convenience stores and an

LDS LDS may refer to: Organizations * LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah, US Religion * Latter Day Saint movement (LDS movement), a collection of independent church groups **The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest group within t ...

chapel are within walking distance of the campgrounds, and the roads are well paved and maintained. Road access to the lake is provided by

Utah State Route 143 State Route 143 (SR-143) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. The entire highway has been designated the Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway as part of the Utah Scenic Byways program. This road has also been designated as Utah's Pa ...

, also known as the Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway or Utah's Patchwork Parkway. The earliest known use of Panguitch Lake was as a

fishery Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...

by Paiute Indians (''Panguitch'' means "big fish" in the Paiute language). Panguitch Lake was treated with

rotenone Rotenone is an odorless, colorless, crystalline isoflavone used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscicide, and pesticide. It occurs naturally in the seeds and stems of several plants, such as the jicama vine plant, and the roots of several member ...

beginning May 1, 2006 to potentially eradicate and control the invasive population of

Utah chub The Utah chub (''Gila atraria'') is a cyprinid fish native to western North America, where it is abundant in the upper Snake River and throughout the Lake Bonneville basin. This chub generally follows the cyprinid body plan. Its dorsal fin lie ...

, which were probably introduced accidentally by anglers who used them as live bait. The lake was restocked with 20,000

rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coasta ...

in 2006; as of 2016, the lake's fish population has recovered.

External links

Panguitch Lake
at the

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is part of the Utah Department of Natural Resources for the state of Utah in the United States. The mission of the Division of Wildlife Resources is to serve the people of Utah as trustee and guardian of t ...

Panguitch Lake
at GO-UTAH.com * by the

Utah Division of Water Quality The Utah Department of Environmental Quality is a state governmental organization located in Salt Lake City, Utah. DEQ's mission is to safeguard public health and our quality of life by protecting and enhancing the environment. DEQ implements State ...

Bryce Canyon Country - Panguitch Lake
Reservoirs in Utah Lakes of the Great Basin Lakes of Garfield County, Utah Buildings and structures in Garfield County, Utah Tourist attractions in Garfield County, Utah Dixie National Forest {{Utah-geo-stub