Santiam Lake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Santiam Lake
The lake as seen from Three Fingered Jack
Santiam Lake Location in Oregon Show map of Oregon Santiam Lake Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Oregon Cascades NW of Santiam Pass, Linn County, Oregon, United States
Coordinates	44°28′41″N 121°53′06″W / 44.47792°N 121.88496°W / 44.47792; -121.88496
Type	Paternoster lake
Primary outflows	North Santiam River
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	1,000 ft (300 m)
Max. width	1,000 ft (300 m)
Surface elevation	5,124 ft (1,562 m)
Frozen	winter and spring
Islands	none
Settlements	none

The view of Three Fingered Jack from Santiam Lake, as seen in early Autumn.

Santiam Lake is a beautiful lake located in the U.S. state of Oregon, in the United States. It sits high up in the Cascade Range mountains, west of a peak called Three Fingered Jack. This lake is very important because it's where a major river begins!

About Santiam Lake

Santiam Lake is a special kind of lake known as a Paternoster lake. These lakes are often found in mountain valleys that were carved out by glaciers long ago. The lake is located in Linn County, Oregon.

Where is Santiam Lake Located?

You can find Santiam Lake in the beautiful Cascade Range in Oregon. It's northwest of a mountain pass called Santiam Pass. The lake is surrounded by amazing natural areas, including the southwestern part of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. This wilderness area is a protected place where nature can thrive.

What Rivers Does Santiam Lake Feed?

Santiam Lake is the "headwaters" for the North Santiam River. This means it's the very beginning of the river! The lake also helps to "drain" or collect water from a part of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. This water then flows into the North Santiam River, which eventually joins other rivers and makes its way to the Pacific Ocean.

How High Up is the Lake?

Santiam Lake is located at a high elevation of about 5,124 feet (or 1,562 meters) above sea level. Because it's so high in the mountains, the lake often freezes over during the winter and even into the spring months.