Mink Lake is the second-largest wilderness lake in the US state of Oregon.[n 1] Mink Lake lies at about 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level on a Cascade Range lava plateau in the Three Sisters Wilderness in eastern Lane County. One of many lakes in the Mink Lake Basin, it covers 139 acres (56 ha).[2]
| Mink Lake | |
|---|---|
 Fog on Mink Lake | |
  Mink Lake  Mink Lake | |
| Location | Lane County, Oregon, United States |
| Coordinates | 43°55′49″N 121°55′25″W / 43.93028°N 121.92361°W |
| Type | Natural, ultraoligotrophic |
| Catchment area | 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 139 acres (56 ha) |
| Average depth | 37 feet (11 m) |
| Max. depth | 85 feet (26 m) |
| Water volume | 5,200 acre-feet (6,400,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 5,039 feet (1,536 m) |
| References | [1][2][3] |
Hiking trails enter the Mink Lake Basin, at the headwaters of the South Fork McKenzie River, from many directions.[4] The Pacific Crest Trail runs roughly north–south about 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the lake.[5] Natural campsites abound in the area, but in warm weather mosquitoes can be a problem.[4]
So few chemicals and nutrients enter this lake that it is classified as ultraoligotrophic, and it is thought to be among the most pristine lakes in Oregon.[2] Fishing is possible here mainly because of stocking.[2] Rainbow and cutthroat trout range in size from 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm).[4]
See also
editNotes and references
edit- Notes
- ^ Marion Lake is the largest.[2]
- References
- ^ Johnson, Daniel M.; Petersen, Richard R.; Lycan, D. Richard; Sweet, James W.; Neuhaus, Mark E., and Schaedel, Andrew L. (1985). Atlas of Oregon Lakes. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. p. 236. ISBN 0-87071-343-4.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e "Atlas of Oregon Lakes: Mink Lake (Lane County)". Portland State University. 1985–2012. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
- ^ "Mink Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
- ^ a b c Sheehan, Madelynne Diness (April 2005). Fishing in Oregon: The Complete Oregon Fishing Guide (10th ed.). Scappoose, Oregon: Flying Pencil Publications. p. 156. ISBN 0-916473-15-5.
- ^ Oregon Atlas & Gazetteer (7th ed.). Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. 2008. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-89933-347-2.