Serene Lakes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Serene Lakes |
|
|---|---|
| Ice Lakes, Twin Lakes | |
Serene Lakes from Lola's Lookout
|
|
 Serene Lakes
Location in California
Serene Lakes
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Soda Springs, Placer County, California, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°17′57″N 120°23′00″W / 39.29917°N 120.38333°W |
| Primary inflows | Serena Creek, other surrounding creeks |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 0.62 mi (1.00 km) |
| Max. width | 0.29 mi (0.47 km) |
| Surface area | 0.12 sq mi (0.31 km2) |
| Surface elevation | 6,910 ft (2,110 m) |
| Islands | 2 (unnamed) |
Serene Lakes (also known as Ice Lakes) are two freshwater lakes. You can find them in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California. They are about 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Lake Tahoe.
Serene Lakes is actually made of two connected lakes: Lake Serena and Lake Dulzura. Together, they cover about 77 acres (31 hectares). The lakes are in the area of Soda Springs in Placer County, CA. They are right next to Interstate 80 to the north and Donner Pass to the east.
Contents
A Look Back: Serene Lakes History
Serene Lakes was discovered in the mid-1800s. This was when the first big railroad across America was being built. The lakes were also a stop on important paths during the California Gold Rush. One of these paths was the historic California Trail. The first person to settle there, Fitz William Redding Jr., arrived in 1866.
Before people had refrigerators, Serene Lakes was a source of ice. Ice was cut from the lakes and sent to the city of San Francisco. This is why the lakes were also called "Ice Lakes." When the famous author Mark Twain visited, he named the two lakes Lake Dulzura and Lake Serena. These names were later combined to create "Serene Lakes."
Fun Things to Do at Serene Lakes
Serene Lakes is a great place for outdoor fun all year round!
Summer Adventures
In the summer, you can enjoy many activities at Serene Lakes. These include fishing, windsurfing, sailing, and paddle-boating. You can swim and do other watersports, but only in Lake Dulzura. This is because Lake Serena provides drinking water, and we need to keep it clean.
Lake Dulzura has a public beach, a dock, and even beach volleyball courts. There are also many hiking trails around the lakes. Some popular trails are Castle Pass, Summit Station Trail, and Hoelter Hall Trail. Many of these trails go up into the mountains around the lake. Some even lead to amazing viewpoints, like Lola's Lookout.
Winter Wonderland
When winter arrives, Serene Lakes transforms into a snowy playground. You can go cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The area is also surrounded by several ski resorts, like Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and Soda Springs Mountain Resort. If the lake freezes over and is safe, you can even go ice skating!
