Six Lakes facts for kids
The Six Lakes are a cool group of six lakes found high up in the mountains of Idaho, in a place called the White Cloud Mountains. These lakes are special because they were formed by glaciers, which are like giant, slow-moving rivers of ice. They are also known as "Paternoster lakes" because they are connected in a chain, like beads on a rosary. You can find them in Custer County, Idaho, inside the beautiful Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
Exploring the Six Lakes
These six lakes are located high up in the mountains, feeding into a stream called Fourth of July Creek. This creek eventually flows into the big Salmon River. The Six Lakes are even higher up than another lake called Heart Lake.
What's interesting is that these lakes don't have their own individual names. They are just known as the "Six Lakes." The three lakes at the very top are almost at the same height. This means that when there's a lot of water, they might even join together to form one bigger lake!
How to Visit the Lakes
Even though there aren't any special hiking trails that lead directly to the Six Lakes, you can still get to them. The easiest way to reach them is by using Sawtooth National Forest road 205, which runs along Fourth of July Creek. It's a great spot for an adventure if you love exploring nature!
Six Lakes at a Glance
The lakes are listed here from the lowest elevation to the highest. This table shows you some facts about each one.
| Lake | Elevation | Max. length | Max. width | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Lake 1 | 2,757 m (9,045 ft) | 075 m (246 ft) | 40 m (130 ft) | 44°01′28″N 114°40′36″W / 44.024344°N 114.676620°W |
| Six Lake 2 | 2,793 m (9,163 ft) | 051 m (167 ft) | 32 m (105 ft) | 44°01′22″N 114°40′26″W / 44.022885°N 114.673923°W |
| Six Lake 3 | 2,800 m (9,200 ft) | 225 m (738 ft) | 95 m (312 ft) | 44°01′28″N 114°40′20″W / 44.024541°N 114.672305°W |
| Six Lake 4 | 2,815 m (9,236 ft) | 183 m (600 ft) | 70 m (230 ft) | 44°01′13″N 114°40′19″W / 44.020407°N 114.672064°W |
| Six Lake 5 | 2,815 m (9,236 ft) | 097 m (318 ft) | 50 m (160 ft) | 44°01′14″N 114°40′14″W / 44.020684°N 114.670465°W |
| Six Lake 6 | 2,815 m (9,236 ft) | 155 m (509 ft) | 60 m (200 ft) | 44°01′09″N 114°40′12″W / 44.019045°N 114.670028°W |
