Bubbling mud-pots, mysterious fumaroles and steam spewing geysers are what make Yellowstone National Park famous, but visitors will also discover a vast land with thunderous waterfalls, majestic mountain ranges and the largest high elevation lake (above 7,000 feet) in North America.
   The calm waters and distant backdrop of snowcapped Overlook and Sheridan mountain peaks, paint this unusual monochromatic view of Yellowstone Lake. The huge lake, lying at elevation 7,733 feet, is nearly centered over the Yellowstone caldera. The park takes up a large section of northwest Wyoming and the lake is just east of the Continental Divide. Lake waters, feeding the Yellowstone River, eventually drain into the very distant Mississippi River.
   Yellowstone Lake is roughly 20 miles long and 14 miles wide, with 141 miles of shoreline. During a resurgence of the underlying Sour Creek dome, Yellowstone Lake became tilted southward exposing sandy beaches on the north shore of the lake. Extreme weather not only creates vast temperature differences between the park's thermal features and winter's frigid conditions, but manages to ice over the lake every year. Ice thicknesses vary from a few inches some years to more than two feet thick other times.
   The 20 mile long body of water holds eleven native fish species, including the prized cutthroat trout. Yellowstone Lake has the largest population of wild cutthroat trout in North America. Considering the entire area lies over molten magma, powering its hot and steamy geysers, and the lake is actually resting on a huge caldera or super volcano, its water temperatures remain very cold. The August surface temperature rarely climbs above 60 degrees. Great for these resident cold-blooded fish, but this lake is no place for swimmers. Frigid waters may quickly lead to hypothermia and boaters should be extremely cautious.

     Area Map