Box Lake (Nevada) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Box Lake |
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Box Lake in the Ruby Mountains
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 Box Lake
Location in Nevada
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| Location | Ruby Mountains, Elko County, Nevada |
| Coordinates | 40°35′48″N 115°25′12″W / 40.59667°N 115.42000°W |
| Type | tarn |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface elevation | 9,620 ft (2,930 m) |
Box Lake is a small, beautiful lake found high up in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada. It's located in a part of the state called Elko County. This special lake is known as a "tarn," which means it was formed by ancient glaciers that carved out the land thousands of years ago.
Box Lake sits on a high, flat area on the side of a steep valley called Box Canyon. It's very high up, at an elevation of about 9,620 feet (2,930 m) (which is over 2,900 meters!).
Where is Box Lake?
Box Lake is nestled in the Ruby Mountains, a mountain range sometimes called "Nevada's Alps" because of their tall, rugged peaks and deep valleys. These mountains are in the northeastern part of Nevada, a state in the western United States. The lake is quite remote, meaning it's far from cities and towns, making it a peaceful natural spot.
How was Box Lake formed?
Box Lake is a type of lake called a tarn. Tarns are mountain lakes that form in bowls or hollows carved out by glaciers. Imagine huge sheets of ice slowly moving down mountainsides. As they move, they scrape away rock and soil, creating deep depressions. When the glaciers melt, these hollows fill with water, forming lakes like Box Lake. This process happened many thousands of years ago during the last Ice Age.
What happens to Box Lake's water?
Box Lake is an important source of water for the area. Along with another nearby lake called Snow Lake, it feeds a stream that flows down through Box Canyon. This stream then joins other streams after it leaves the mountains. Eventually, all these streams come together to form the South Fork of the Humboldt River. The Humboldt River is one of the most important rivers in Nevada, flowing across much of the northern part of the state.
