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Isa Lake: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 44°26′27″N 110°43′09″W / 44.44083°N 110.71917°W / 44.44083; -110.71917
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Craig Pass topo benchmark elevation 8262 ft
 
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{{Infobox lake
{{Infobox body of water
|name = Isa Lake
|name = Isa Lake
|image = Isa Lake YNP1.jpg
|image = Isa Lake YNP1.jpg
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|type = Natural lake
|type = Natural lake
|inflow =
|inflow =
|outflow = [[Firehole River]] (west) (spring only) <br> [[Lewis River (Wyoming)|Lewis River]] (east) (spring and early summer)
|outflow =
|catchment =
|catchment =
|basin_countries = United States
|basin_countries = United States
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|islands =
|islands =
|cities =
|cities =
<!-- Map -->
| pushpin_map = Wyoming#USA
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Isa Lake in Wyoming, USA.
| pushpin_map_caption =
<!-- Below -->
| website =
| reference =
}}
}}


'''Isa Lake''' is located in [[Yellowstone National Park]], in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Wyoming]].<ref>{{cite web| title =Craig Pass, USGS Craig Pass (WY) Topo Map| work =| publisher =TopoQuest USGS Quads| date =| url =http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?lat=44.44083&lon=-110.71833&datum=nad27&u=4&layer=DRG&size=l&s=50| format =Map| accessdate = 2008-06-29}}</ref> The lake straddles the [[Continental Divide of the Americas|continental divide]] at [[Craig Pass]] and was first discovered in 1891 by [[Hiram M. Chittenden]], who was exploring the best routes for a road to connect [[Old Faithful]] and [[West Thumb]] geyser basins. Chittenden named the lake after Miss Isabel Jelke, from [[Cincinnati]], though it is not clear why.<ref name="isa">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url =http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/grant-area-nat-highs-5.htm | title = Isa Lake| work = Grant Area Natural Highlights | publisher = National Park Service| accessdate = 2012-08-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA166#v=onepage&q&f=false | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=166}}</ref>
'''Isa Lake''' is located in [[Yellowstone National Park]], in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Wyoming]].<ref>{{cite web| title =Craig Pass, USGS Craig Pass (WY) Topo Map| publisher =TopoQuest USGS Quads| url =http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?lat=44.44083&lon=-110.71833&datum=nad27&u=4&layer=DRG&size=l&s=50| format =Map| access-date = 2008-06-29}}</ref> The lake straddles the [[Continental Divide of the Americas|continental divide]] at [[Craig Pass]]. [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous peoples]] have lived in the Yellowstone region for at least 11,000 years.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yellowstone, History and Culture|url=http://www.nps.gov/yell/historyculture/index.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922144249/http://www.nps.gov/yell/historyculture/index.htm|archive-date=September 22, 2013|access-date=October 24, 2021|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref> In the 1800s, at the time of [[Lewis and Clark Expedition|the first European exploration of the area]], the region was home to several [[First Nations in Canada|Indigenous Nations]] including the [[Nez Perce (tribe)|Nimíipuu]], [[Crow Indians|Absaroke]], and [[Shoshone]] [[Nation]]s. [[Hiram M. Chittenden]] became the first known European to sight the lake in 1891, while searching for the best routes connecting [[Old Faithful]] and the [[West Thumb Geyser Basin]]. Chittenden named the lake after Miss Isabel Jelke, from [[Cincinnati]], though it is not clear why.<ref name="isa">{{cite web | url =http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/grant-area-nat-highs-5.htm | title = Isa Lake| work = Grant Area Natural Highlights | publisher = National Park Service| access-date = 2012-08-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n155 166]}}</ref>
[[File:Continental Divide sign at Two-Ocean Lake.JPG|250px|thumb|right|Map of [[Continental Divide of the Americas|Continental Divide]] at Isa Lake]]
[[File:Continental Divide sign at Two-Ocean Lake.JPG|250px|thumb|right|Map of [[Continental Divide of the Americas|Continental Divide]] at Isa Lake]]
Isa Lake is believed to be the only natural lake in the world which drains to two different oceans ''backwards''.<ref name="isa"/> (The man-made [[Gatun Lake]] in Panama also drains backwards into the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans via the Panama Canal.) The east side of the lake drains by way of the [[Lewis River (Wyoming)|Lewis River]] to the [[Pacific Ocean]] and the west side of the lake drains by way of the [[Firehole River]] to the [[Atlantic Ocean]].<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url =http://www.wyomingtourism.org/articles/detail/Isa-Lake-in-Yellowstone-National-Park/405324 | title = Isa Lake| format = | work = | publisher = Wyomingtourism.org| accessdate = 2012-08-04}}</ref> This is the opposite of what one would expect since the Atlantic Ocean is east of the lake and the Pacific Ocean is to the west.
Isa Lake is believed to be one of the few natural lakes in the world which drain to two different oceans, another being [[Wollaston Lake]].<ref name="isa"/> (For similar cases see List of unusual drainage systems.) The east side of the lake drains by way of the [[Lewis River (Wyoming)|Lewis River]] to the [[Pacific Ocean]] and the west side of the lake drains by way of the [[Firehole River]] to the [[Gulf of Mexico]].<ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.wyomingtourism.org/articles/detail/Isa-Lake-in-Yellowstone-National-Park/405324| title =Isa Lake| publisher =Wyomingtourism.org| access-date =2012-08-04| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140921083101/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/articles/detail/Isa-Lake-in-Yellowstone-National-Park/405324| archive-date =2014-09-21| url-status =dead}}</ref>


The lake is easy to visit as it is adjacent to the road that now connects the Old Faithful and West Thumb geysers basins, on what is known as the "lower loop" of the figure-eight roadway which traverses through Yellowstone.
The lake is easy to visit as it is adjacent to the road that now connects the Old Faithful and West Thumb geysers basins, on what is known as the "lower loop" of the figure-eight roadway which traverses through Yellowstone. The [[Nuphar polysepala|great yellow pond-lily]] thrives in the lake. {{gallery

{{gallery
|title=Images of Isa Lake
|title=Images of Isa Lake
|footer=
|footer=
|lines=3
|width=150
|width=150
|File:IsaLake1921.jpg|Isa Lake, 1921
|File:IsaLake1921.jpg|Isa Lake, 1921
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{{Upper Geyser Basin}}
{{Upper Geyser Basin}}
{{Wyoming}}
{{Wyoming}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:Lakes of Teton County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Lakes of Teton County, Wyoming]]
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[[Category:Lakes of Yellowstone National Park]]
[[Category:Lakes of Yellowstone National Park]]
[[Category:Great Divide of North America]]
[[Category:Great Divide of North America]]
[[Category:Bifurcation lakes]]




Latest revision as of 13:01, 5 February 2024

Isa Lake
Isa Lake
Location of Isa Lake in Wyoming, USA.
Location of Isa Lake in Wyoming, USA.
Isa Lake
Location of Isa Lake in Wyoming, USA.
Location of Isa Lake in Wyoming, USA.
Isa Lake
LocationYellowstone National Park, Teton County, Wyoming, US
Coordinates44°26′27″N 110°43′09″W / 44.44083°N 110.71917°W / 44.44083; -110.71917[1]
TypeNatural lake
Primary outflowsFirehole River (west) (spring only)
Lewis River (east) (spring and early summer)
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface elevation8,262 feet (2,518 m)[1]

Isa Lake is located in Yellowstone National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming.[2] The lake straddles the continental divide at Craig Pass. Indigenous peoples have lived in the Yellowstone region for at least 11,000 years.[3] In the 1800s, at the time of the first European exploration of the area, the region was home to several Indigenous Nations including the Nimíipuu, Absaroke, and Shoshone Nations. Hiram M. Chittenden became the first known European to sight the lake in 1891, while searching for the best routes connecting Old Faithful and the West Thumb Geyser Basin. Chittenden named the lake after Miss Isabel Jelke, from Cincinnati, though it is not clear why.[4][5]

Map of Continental Divide at Isa Lake

Isa Lake is believed to be one of the few natural lakes in the world which drain to two different oceans, another being Wollaston Lake.[4] (For similar cases see List of unusual drainage systems.) The east side of the lake drains by way of the Lewis River to the Pacific Ocean and the west side of the lake drains by way of the Firehole River to the Gulf of Mexico.[6]

The lake is easy to visit as it is adjacent to the road that now connects the Old Faithful and West Thumb geysers basins, on what is known as the "lower loop" of the figure-eight roadway which traverses through Yellowstone. The great yellow pond-lily thrives in the lake.

Images of Isa Lake
  • Isa Lake, 1921
    Isa Lake, 1921
  • Isa Lake on Craig Pass Road
    Isa Lake on Craig Pass Road
  • Isa Lake
    Isa Lake
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Isa Lake.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Isa Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "Craig Pass, USGS Craig Pass (WY) Topo Map" (Map). TopoQuest USGS Quads. Retrieved 2008-06-29.
  3. ^ "Yellowstone, History and Culture". National Park Service. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Isa Lake". Grant Area Natural Highlights. National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  5. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 166.
  6. ^ "Isa Lake". Wyomingtourism.org. Archived from the original on 2014-09-21. Retrieved 2012-08-04.


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