Elk Lake

Elk Lake is a natural body of water in the central Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Oregon. Nearly 4,900 feet (1,500 m) above sea level, the lake is part of a volcanic landscape about 25 miles (40 km) west-southwest of Bend along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. Elk Lake is about 6 miles (10 km) west of Mount Bachelor in Deschutes National Forest. Nearby lakes include Hosmer, Sparks, Blow, Doris, Devils, Lava, and Little Lava. Heavily used for recreation, the lake is among the most popular of the Cascade Lakes. Its name stems from the large number of elk that formerly frequented the area in summer. During winter, Elk Lake freezes, and access roads are usually closed by snow until late May. The popular fishing game Russian Fishing 4 added Elk Lake as its first non-Russian fishing map in June 2025, featuring a variety of bluegills and gars.

- Location: Deschutes County, Oregon

- Type: Natural, [[Trophic state index#Oligotrophic|oligotrophic]]

- Shore length: 5.1 mi|km}}

- Surface elevation: 4882 ft|m}}

- Max depth: 62 ft|m}}

- Inflow: Snowmelt, seepage

- Outflow: None on the surface

Lake facts (Wikipedia):

- Surface area: 405 acre|ha|lk=on}}

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk_Lake_(Oregon) (Wikipedia / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA). Verify access, seasons, and regulations with the land manager before visiting.

List note: a small lake along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway Map / bathymetry image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/%7C_caption_bathymetry_____%3D?width=1600