Navajo Lake (Utah) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Navajo Lake |
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Looking southwest at Navajo Lake
from SR‑14, October 2014 |
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 Navajo Lake
Location in Utah
Navajo Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Dixie National Forest, Kane County, Utah, United States |
| Coordinates | 37°31′30″N 112°46′03″W / 37.52500°N 112.76750°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Part of | Both the Colorado River Basin and the Great Basin |
| Primary inflows | Springs |
| Primary outflows | Seepage |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 3 miles (4.8 km) |
| Max. width | 0.5 miles (0.80 km) |
| Max. depth | 25 feet (7.6 m) |
| Surface elevation | 9,035 feet (2,754 m) |
Navajo Lake is a small, beautiful reservoir located in southern Utah, United States. It's found in the northwestern part of Kane County. This lake is quite shallow, reaching a depth of about 25 feet (7.6 m) at its deepest point. It's a popular spot for many outdoor activities.
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Navajo Lake is a special place for outdoor fun. It's a great spot to visit if you love nature and water activities. The lake is surrounded by the Dixie National Forest, offering beautiful scenery.
Navajo Lake has a very interesting origin story! It was created by a natural event long ago. A flow of hot, melted rock, called lava, moved across the eastern end of the valley. This lava flow acted like a natural dam, blocking the water and forming the lake we see today.
A Lake with Two Drains
What makes Navajo Lake truly unique is how its water leaves the lake. Instead of flowing out through a single river, the lake drains in two different directions! This happens through natural holes in the lake floor, called sinkholes.
One part of the water drains into the Great Basin. This is a large area in the western United States where water doesn't flow to the ocean. The other part of the water drains into the Colorado River system. The Colorado River eventually flows all the way to the Gulf of California in Mexico. It's rare for a lake to drain into two major water systems like this!
Fun Activities at the Lake
Navajo Lake is a fantastic place for recreation. There are many exciting things you can do here:
- Fishing: The lake is well-known for its fishing opportunities.
- Boating: You can enjoy boating on the calm waters.
- Swimming: On warm days, swimming is a popular way to cool off.
- Lodging: There are places to stay nearby if you want to make it a longer trip.
Fish and Wildlife
Navajo Lake is home to several types of fish, especially different kinds of trout.
- Brook Trout: These are colorful fish that are fun to catch.
- Splake Trout: This is a special kind of trout. It's a hybrid fish, meaning it's a mix of two different trout species.
- Rainbow Trout: Another popular trout species found in the lake.
During the cold winter months, it can be tough for the trout to survive. Only the splake and brook trout usually make it through the winter. The lake also has a large number of Utah chub, which are another type of fish.
