West Hawk Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Hawk Lake |
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Satellite image (Landsat)
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 West Hawk Lake
Location in Manitoba
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| Location | Whiteshell Provincial Park, Manitoba |
| Coordinates | 49°45′54″N 95°11′16″W / 49.76500°N 95.18778°W |
| Type | Impact crater lake |
| Primary inflows | numerous small streams and underground springs |
| Primary outflows | Whiteshell River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 4.5 km (2.8 mi) |
| Max. width | 3.6 km (2.2 mi) |
| Surface area | 16.2 km2 (6.3 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 115 m (377 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 329 m (1,079 ft) |
| Islands | 12 |
West Hawk Lake is a cool lake found in Whiteshell Provincial Park. This park is in southeastern Manitoba, Canada. The middle part of the lake was formed a very long time ago. It was created when a space rock, called a meteor, crashed into the Earth. This crash left a big hole, known as a crater.
The area around the lake is part of the Canadian Shield. This is a huge area of very old rock that formed billions of years ago. You can see tall cliffs made of a rock called granite around parts of the lake.
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What Makes West Hawk Lake Special?
West Hawk Lake is the deepest lake in Manitoba. It goes down about 115 meters (377 feet)! That's like stacking 25 school buses on top of each other. This makes it a great spot for different water activities.
Fun Things to Do at the Lake
Many people love to visit West Hawk Lake. It has places for private cottages and public beaches. There are also campgrounds and other things for tourists. The lake is a popular place for:
- Boating
- Sailing
- Wakeboarding
- Scuba diving
The lake is located just north of the Trans-Canada Highway. It is also on the Trans Canada Trail, which is a path for walking and biking. The lake sits right on the border between Manitoba and Ontario.
Ancient History and Art
The area around West Hawk Lake has a rich history. Parts of Whiteshell Provincial Park have special rock carvings. These are called petroforms. First Nation peoples made these petroforms possibly over a thousand years ago.
What are Petroforms?
Petroforms are shapes made from rocks laid out on the ground. You can find shapes of animals like turtles and snakes. There are also human figures and cool geometric patterns. These rock art pieces are often found on pink granite ridges. These ridges were shaped by huge sheets of ice during the last ice age.
