Photo Courtesy: Kamrin Nielsen | Location: Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon
Dive into Summer
Lakes we love in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest lakes are as diverse as the many ways visitors enjoy them. Natural lakes invite travelers to paddle, swim or cast a fly rod. Birders scan the surface for waterfowl, grebes and loons, among other freshwater avian species.
There’s no way to write about the Pacific Northwest’s great lakes without mentioning the limnological triumvirate: Crater Lake, Lake Pend Oreille and Lake Chelan. These aquatic bodies, three of the five deepest lakes in North America, shine against any freshwater bodies on Earth. Crater Lake, the United States deepest lake, is so mesmerizing that calling it cerulean doesn’t do it justice; it deserves its own Crater Lake shade of blue. Lake Pend Oreille covers 148 square miles in Northern Idaho. Lake Chelan forms a natural fjord at its western end, where the remote town of Stehekin in Washington links to the Pacific Crest Trail in North Cascades National Park.
While Oregon and Idaho are home to these famous lakes, there are other freshwater oases—from glacial formations to a trapped aquatic body formed after the St. Helens eruption. Here, enjoy floating through the options in a multilake bouquet.
Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon
Located less than 30 miles from Crater Lake, Upper Klamath Lake is Oregon’s largest freshwater body.
The shallow lake averages 14 feet in depth, with only a few areas exceeding 50 feet deep. The proximity to the nutrient-rich bottom and abundant fishery creates an appealing destination for dozens of aquatic bird species that nest locally or migrate through the fabled Pacific Flyway. More than 350 bird species have been identified in the greater Klamath Basin.
The lake’s shallows also provide habitat for the wocus lily, an important cultural plant and food source for the Indigenous Klamath Nation. For millennia, the Klamath people harvested, dried and ground wocus seedpods for seasoning and baking. Try sweet and slightly sour candied wocus, a local treat. A well-marked, 9.5-mile paddling trail on the lake leads past flowering yellow wocus, beaver lodges, nesting grebes and waterfowl, among many other natural sights.
Photo Courtesy: Gettyimages.com/anna Gorin | Location: Mirror Lake, Oregon
Mirror Lake, Oregon
Among all the volcanoes that comprise the Pacific Northwest’s Ring of Fire, Mount Hood is arguably the most “perfect” geometrically.
It is a snow-covered cone reminiscent of Japan’s Mt. Fuji and in its shadow is Mirror Lake. The reflection of the sublime Mount Hood’s reflection in its waters is framed by Douglas fir, silver fir, western red cedar and other trees native to this alpine biome.
A 4.4-mile loop trail encircles Mirror Lake, offering options for stunning photography. There’s good reason this trail is among the most popular in the greater Portland area. Another option is the moderately difficult 8-mile out-and-back access to Burnt Lake. The trail climbs 1,500 feet, contains fewer people and presents excellent Mount Hood vantage points.
Cultus Lake, Oregon
True to its name, the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway is dotted with serene freshwater bodies to fish, boat, swim and explore.
Considered an exceptional fishery, the 2-mile-long Cultus Lake offers both wading and bank casting, where lure fishers and anglers cast for rainbow, lake and brook trout.
The lake, located about 48 miles from Bend, permits both nonmotorized and motorized boats. The cabins at The Lodge at Cultus Lake and the public campground offer a scenic refuge to unplug with family or friends in a lakefront environment where you can cast your cares away.
Photo Courtesy: Christian Murillo | Location: Trail Creek Lakes, Idaho
Trail Creek Lakes, Idaho
Located in the spectacular Sawtooth Mountains, the Trail Creek Lakes dangle five small lakes across a 15.7-mile out-and-back trail.
Trail Creek, featuring a series of subtle waterfall tumbles and stunning montane reflections, links all five lakes.
Columbine, lupine, larkspur and other wildflowers compose meadows filled with butterflies, rufous hummingbirds and our smallest hummer, the calliope hummingbird. Bite off as much mileage as you care to chew on a day trip, or embark upon an overnight adventure from the Grandjean Campground backpacker parking lot.
Photo Courtesy: Chad Case | Location: Payette Lake, Idaho
Payette Lake, Idaho
Diving into a glacial-fed lake provides a refreshing chill that only melted snow produces.
Located nearly a mile above sea level, the 5,330-acre Payette Lake offers pristine wilderness, camping and hiking in Ponderosa State Park. McCall, an outdoor recreation hub filled with outfitters and rental shops, sits adjacent to Payette Lake’s south shore.
Payette’s geography—a 1,000-acre peninsula that divides the lake—allows all types of visitors to experience the outdoors in their own way, whether opting to RV, stay in a hotel or select a campground without a building (or light) in sight. Without light pollution, dark skies are the stars of a summer night. Variety rules the recreation here; motorized boats are permitted in Lower Payette Lake but there’s a no-wake policy in the upper lake. Hundreds of miles of hiking trails add terrestrial exploration to the mix.
Photo Courtesy: Alamy.com/Mason Vranish | Location: Coldwater Lake, Washington
Coldwater Lake, Washington
Coldwater Lake was formed when a debris avalanche from the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption blocked Coldwater Creek.
The 5-mile-long watershed covers almost 17 square miles today. Located off Spirit Lake Highway, the Coldwater Lake Recreation Area welcomes human-powered watercraft to paddle and play beneath an eastern ridgeline that rises 1,000 feet above the shore.
The “Birth of the Lake” interpretive trail tells the fascinating geological story of how the Mount St. Helens eruption altered this landscape, leaving a 773-acre lake in its wake.
Crai S. Bower’s writing and photography earned him a 2025 North American Travel Journalist’s Association award. He regularly contributes to publications such as Condé Nast Traveler, Garden & Gun and Fodor’s Travel, among others.
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