Thousand Island Lake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thousand Island Lake
Banner Peak above the lake
Thousand Island Lake Location in California Show map of California Thousand Island Lake Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Sierra Nevada, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Madera County, California, United States
Coordinates	37°43′15″N 119°10′56″W / 37.72083°N 119.18222°W / 37.72083; -119.18222
Primary outflows	Middle Fork San Joaquin River
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	2.5 mi (4.0 km)
Max. width	0.7 mi (1.1 km)
Surface elevation	2,997 metres (9,833 ft)
Islands	many

Thousand Island Lake is a beautiful, large lake high up in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. It is located inside the Ansel Adams Wilderness area.

The lake gets its name from the many small, rocky islands that you can see on its surface. It looks like there are a thousand of them! A person named Theodore Solomons likely gave it this name on his map in 1896. Famous nature writer John Muir called it "Islet Lake."

Discovering Thousand Island Lake

Thousand Island Lake is a well-known spot in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It became famous thanks to the amazing black and white photographs taken by Ansel Adams. His pictures helped show the world how beautiful this area is.

Where is Thousand Island Lake?

This lake is found within the Ansel Adams Wilderness. This wilderness area is part of both the Sierra National Forest and the Inyo National Forest.

The lake sits right at the bottom of a tall mountain called Banner Peak. This peak is part of the Ritter Range. Thousand Island Lake is also the starting point for the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River. This river flows through California's San Joaquin Valley.

How the Lake Was Formed

Thousand Island Lake is a special type of lake called a glacial tarn. This means it was formed by a glacier. Long ago, a huge glacier carved out a bowl-shaped hollow in the mountains. When the glacier melted and moved away, this hollow filled with water, creating the lake we see today.

View of the lake from near its outlet creek

How to Visit Thousand Island Lake

You can reach Thousand Island Lake by hiking along several different trails. It's a popular destination for hikers and backpackers.

• High Trail or River Trail: You can start these trails from the Agnew Meadows trailhead. This is located near the Devils Postpile National Monument in the Mammoth Lakes area.
• John Muir Trail: This famous long-distance trail passes by the lake.
• Pacific Crest Trail: Another very long trail that goes near Thousand Island Lake.
• Sierra High Route: This is a more challenging route for experienced hikers.