Spectacle Lake (Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spectacle Lake |
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 Spectacle Lake
Location in Washington (state)
Spectacle Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Kittitas County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°27′43″N 121°16′51″W / 47.4618857°N 121.2807066°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 77.8 acres (0.315 km2) |
| Surface elevation | 4,265 ft (1,300 m) |
| Islands | 0 |
Spectacle Lake is a beautiful freshwater lake high up in the mountains. It's found in Kittitas County, Washington, right next to King County, Washington. The lake sits near big mountains like Chikamin Peak and Lemah Mountain. Because it's surrounded by these tall peaks in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, it's a favorite spot for outdoor fun. People love to go hiking, camping, and fishing for cutthroat trout here. Other cool mountain lakes are nearby, like Chikamin Lake, which is just a bit north. To the south, you can find Hibox Mountain.
Where to Find Spectacle Lake
Spectacle Lake is located northeast of a place called Snoqualmie Pass. You can find the start of the hiking trail at Gold Creek Pond. This pond is on the north side of Keechelus Lake. It is also south of Snoqualmie Pass along Interstate 90. The lake is inside the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. This area is managed by the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
How to Reach Spectacle Lake
You can get to Spectacle Lake by following trails that lead to Chikamin Ridge. The famous Pacific Crest Trail passes both north and south of Chikamin Ridge. Another way to reach the lake is by using the Mineral Creek Trail. There is also a shorter trail that starts near the Owhi Campground at Cooper Lake. Cooper Lake is a popular spot for fishing, as it gets new trout fish added every year.
The trail from Cooper Lake is fairly flat for a while. It leads to Pete Lake, which is about four miles away. This part of the trail is often busy with hikers. The trail then goes along the north shore of Pete Lake. About one mile past Pete Lake, you will reach Lemah Creek in the Lemah Meadows. The trail then connects with the Pacific Crest Trail. You will cross several switchbacks and creeks, including Delate Creek over a large wooden bridge.
Weather Around Spectacle Lake
Spectacle Lake is in a climate zone called "hemiboreal." This is part of the marine west coast climate found in western North America. The average temperature around the lake is about 2° Celsius (36° Fahrenheit). The warmest month is August, with an average temperature of 16° Celsius (61° Fahrenheit). The coldest month is January, where the average temperature is around -8° Celsius (18° Fahrenheit).
The area gets about 1687 millimeters (66 inches) of rain each year. December is the wettest month, with about 247 millimeters (9.7 inches) of rain. July is the driest month, getting only about 33 millimeters (1.3 inches) of rain.
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