Alta Lake State Park

Alta Lake State Park is a public recreation area located two miles (3.2 km) southwest of Pateros, Washington, at the northern end of 220-acre (89 ha) Alta Lake,[6] in the mountainous northwest interior of the state. The 181-acre (73 ha) state park and adjacent lake lie beneath towering stone cliffs, formed by glaciation, that rise 1000 feet (304 m) above the valley floor, and carry on up to the top of Old Goat Mountain[7] which sits 4200 ft (1280 m) above the park. A two-mile-long (3 km) road leading to the park, Alta Lake Road, intersects State Route 153, which runs along the Methow River. The park is managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.[2]

Not to be confused with Alta Lake (British Columbia).
Alta Lake State Park
Location in the state of Washington
LocationOkanogan County, Washington, United States
Nearest cityPateros, Washington
Coordinates48°01′43″N 119°56′31″W[1]
Area181 acres (73 ha)[2]
Elevation1,348 ft (411 m)[1]
DesignationWashington state park
Established1951
AdministratorWashington State Parks and Recreation Commission
WebsiteAlta Lake State Park
Alta Lake
Alta Lake
Location within Washington
LocationOkanogan County, Washington
Coordinates48°01′17″N 119°56′13″W
Primary inflowsNone[3]
Primary outflowsNone[3]
Basin countriesUnited States
Max. length2 miles (3.2 km)
Max. width.5 miles (0.80 km)
Surface area219.6 acres (88.9 ha)[3]
Max. depth79 feet (24 m)[4]
Water volume7,230 acre feet (8,920,000 m3)[4]
Surface elevation1,171 feet (357 m)[5]
IslandsNone
SettlementsState park

History

A jeweler and miner from Wilbur named the lake in 1900 after his daughter, Alta Heinz. In 1951, the city of Pateros gave the property to the state for the establishment of a state park.[2] In 2014, the park was severely damaged during the Carlton Complex Fire,[8] which forced the park to close for five weeks.[9] Recovery efforts are on-going.[2]

Activities and amenities

The park offers swimming, boating, fishing and sailboarding on Alta Lake, which measures about 2 miles (3.2 km) long and .5 miles (0.80 km) wide.[10] The park has camping and picnicking facilities and 2 miles (3.2 km) of hiking trails.[2] Golf is offered at the nearby Alta Lake Golf Course.[11]

References
  1. "Alta Lake State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. "Alta Lake State Park". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  3. "Appendix E.4" (PDF). Okanogan County Integrated Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan. Okanogan County. 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  4. Ernest E. Wolcott (1973). "Lakes of Washington, Volume II, Eastern Washington" (PDF) (2 ed.). Washington Department of Ecology. pp. 294–295. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  5. "Alta Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  6. "Alta Lake". Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  7. "Goat Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  8. K.C. Mehaffey (July 30, 2014). "Alta Lake State Park hopes for speedy reopening". The Wenatchee World. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  9. Karen M. West (May 20, 2015). "Methow recovers from massive wildfire and welcomes outdoors lovers". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  10. "Alta". Northwest Fishing Reports. Digital Anglers. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  11. "Alta Lake Golf Resort". Retrieved February 17, 2016.
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