Wasco Lake is a glacially formed

alpine lake Alpine lakes are classified as lakes at high altitudes in mountainous zones, usually near or above the tree line, with extended periods of ice cover. These lakes are commonly formed from glacial activity (either current or in the past) but can al ...

located in

Jefferson County, Oregon Jefferson County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. At the 2020 census, the population was 24,502. The county seat is Madras. The county is named after Mount Jefferson. History Jefferson County was created on December 12, ...

, United States. A part of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness Area, Wasco Lake is a popular hiking destination and can be accessed via the

Pacific Crest Trail The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie ...

. In 2003, the devastating B&B Complex Fire hit the area of Wasco Lake.

Location

Wasco Lake is located at an elevation of on the eastern slope of

Three Fingered Jack Three Fingered Jack is a summit of a shield volcano of the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed during the Pleistocene Epoch (geology), epoch, the mountain consists mainly of basaltic andesite lava and was heavily glacier, glaciat ...

in the

Cascade Mountain Range The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, ...

and is a part of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness Area.

References

File:Wasco Lake 2.jpg, Fir trees dominate the landscape around Wasco Lake. File:Wasco Lake 1.jpg, The devastating effects of the B&B fire can still be seen 13 years later. {{authority control Geography of Jefferson County, Oregon Lakes of Oregon