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Yellowstone NP, Wyoming
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Situated at an elevation of 7,732 feet, Yellowstone Lake covers approximately 136 square miles, making it the largest freshwater lake above 7,000 feet in North America.
The lake's floor is dotted with hydrothermal vents and geysers, contributing to its unique underwater landscape.
Despite its geothermal activity, the lake typically freezes from December to June, with ice thickness reaching up to three feet.
The Yellowstone cutthroat trout, native to the lake, is a crucial part of the park's ecosystem and a popular catch for anglers.
Seasonal changes and geothermal activity cause the water level to rise and fall, impacting the surrounding ecosystem.
The lake sits atop the Yellowstone Caldera, one of the largest active volcanic systems in the world, though the underwater volcano itself is dormant.
The lake occupies a caldera created by a massive volcanic eruption approximately 640,000 years ago.
Early explorers, including the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition in 1870, documented the lake's unique features, contributing to the establishment of Yellowstone as the first national park.
