Miller Lake (Oregon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Miller Lake |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
 Miller Lake
Location in Oregon
Miller Lake
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Klamath County, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 43°13′42″N 121°57′36″W / 43.22833°N 121.96000°W |
| Type | Natural, oligotrophic |
| Primary inflows | Tipsoo, Evening, and Gideon creeks |
| Primary outflows | Miller Creek |
| Catchment area | 11 square miles (28 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 566 acres (229 ha) |
| Average depth | 77 feet (23 m) |
| Max. depth | 145 feet (44 m) |
| Water volume | 43,700 acre-feet (53,900,000 m3) |
| Residence time | 2.9 years |
| Shore length1 | 4.3 miles (6.9 km) |
| Surface elevation | 5,633 feet (1,717 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Miller Lake is a large, natural freshwater lake located in the Cascade Range mountains. You can find it in western Klamath County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The lake is part of the Winema National Forest. It is about 14 miles (23 km) west of a town called Chemult. You can reach it by taking Miller Lake Road (Forest Road 9772).
Contents
About Miller Lake
Miller Lake is a beautiful natural lake. It is known as an "oligotrophic" lake. This means its waters are very clear and have low levels of nutrients. The lake gets its water from small streams like Tipsoo, Evening, and Gideon creeks. Water flows out of the lake into Miller Creek.
Fun Things to Do
Miller Lake is a great spot for outdoor fun. Many people visit for fishing, swimming, and boating. There are also trails nearby for hiking and exploring.
Fishing Adventures
Fishing is very popular at Miller Lake. You can catch different kinds of fish here. These include rainbow and brown trout, and also kokanee. The lake is famous for its brown trout. Many of these fish grow to be longer than 26 inches (66 cm)! You can even fish at night here.
Camping and Hiking
If you love camping, Digit Point Campground is right by the lake. It has 64 campsites. Each site has picnic tables, drinking water, and toilets. You can also go swimming or use non-motorized boats like canoes or kayaks on the lake. Hiking trails near Miller Lake lead to the Mount Thielsen Wilderness and the famous Pacific Crest Trail. Just remember to bring bug spray, as mosquitoes can be common!
The Miller Lake Lamprey
Miller Lake is the only place in the world where you can find a special type of fish called the Miller Lake lamprey. A lamprey is a type of fish that looks a bit like an eel. It has a long, snake-like body.
Saving the Lamprey
In the 1950s, people thought the lamprey might be a problem for the trout in the lake. Because of this, their numbers became very low. However, the Miller Lake lamprey was found again in 1992. Since then, people have been working hard to help their population grow. They are trying to bring more lampreys back to Miller Lake. This effort helps protect this unique creature.
