Butte Lake (California)

Butte Lake is a lake located in the northeast section of Lassen Volcanic National Park in the U.S. state of California at an elevation of 6,053 ft (1,845 m).

Butte Lake
Butte Lake Show map of California Butte Lake Show map of the United States
Location	Lassen Volcanic National Park Lassen County, California
Coordinates	40.562108°N 121.289694°W / 40.562108; -121.289694
Type	Lake
Primary inflows	Butte Creek
Basin countries	United States
Surface elevation	1,845 m (6,053 ft)

Description

The irregularly-shaped lake lies at the northern end of Cinder Cone and the Fantastic Lava Beds, which is a complex of lava flows and a cinder cone. Lava from Cinder Cone's 1666 eruption flowed into and around the lake.^[1] This formed an underwater lava field. Water from Snag Lake to the south flows through the porous lava field to Butte Lake.^[2] Water from Butte Lake drains via Butte Creek, which flows north out of the parkland.

Butte Lake from Cinder Cone

Access

There is a campground and ranger station located to the west of the lake. Butte Lake is accessible via an unpaved road which branches off from California Route 44. The unpaved road is subject to seasonal closures.

See also

• List of lakes in California
• Cascade Volcanoes