Summit Lake (Colorado)
| Summit Lake | ||
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| View of Summit Lake | ||
| Geographical location | Colorado (USA) | |
| Drain | Bear Creek → South Platte River | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 39 ° 35 '55 " N , 105 ° 38' 39" W | |
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| Altitude above sea level | 3963 m | |
| surface | 14 ha | |
| Maximum depth | 21 m | |
The Summit Lake [ ˈsʌmɪt leɪk ] (" Summit Lake ") is a lake in the US state of Colorado - about 60 km southwest of the state capital Denver in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains . It is located on the Mount Evans Scenic Byway between Idaho Springs and Mount Evans ( 4,348 m ).
In 1924, the Clear Creek County lake was acquired by the City of Denver and incorporated into the urban mountain park system. As one of Colorado's eleven National Natural Landmarks, it is a popular photo opportunity on the Mount Evans Scenic Byway ; However, as hiking and swimming in the lake are not permitted, fishing on the lake shore is the only leisure activity.
Summit Lake is one of the highest lakes in the United States - only twelve (nine in Colorado alone) are higher.
Summit Lake Park
Summit Lake Park covers an area of around 65 hectares around Summit Lake and includes both arctic and alpine tundra landscapes . The bottom east of the lake is permafrost , which prevents the area from draining. During the summer, the park is covered in wildflowers, some of which cannot be found anywhere else outside the Arctic Circle .