| Sparks Lake | |
| Coords: | 44.0157°N -121.7453°W |
| Type: | Natural, oligotrophic, with dam |
| Inflow: | Goose, Fall, and Soda creeks |
| Catchment: | 37mi2 |
| Basin Countries: | United States |
| Area: | 779acres |
| Depth: | 1feet |
| Max-Depth: | 7feet |
| Volume: | 1000acre feet |
| Shore: | 10miles |
| Elevation: | 5433feet |
| Pushpin Map: | Oregon#USA |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location of Sparks Lake in Oregon, USA. |
| Reference: | [1] [2] [3] |
Sparks Lake is a natural body of water near the crest of the central Cascade Range in Deschutes County in the U.S. state of Oregon. The lake is about 26miles west-southwest of Bend along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway in Deschutes National Forest.[2] Named for a 19th-century rancher, "Lige" Sparks,[4] the water body is a remnant of a bigger lake that has partly filled with sediment and vegetation.[2]
Many of the region's mountain peaks, such as Mount Bachelor, Three Sisters, and Broken Top, are visible from the lake. Other lakes in the vicinity include Todd, Elk, Hosmer, Blow, and Doris.[5]
Sparks lake lies in a closed basin formed by lava flows of the Three Sisters and Mt. Bachelor volcanic systems which occurred in the early Holocene or late Pleistocene eras.[6] Sparks Lake is fed by snow melt from South Sister and Broken Top mountains. While Sparks Lake has no visible outflow into the Deschutes River basin, the lake can be observed flowing into crevasses and outcrops along the South West shores.[7] The waters of Sparks Lake likely feed springs in the tributaries above Crane Prairie Reservoir [8]
The United States Forest Service maintains a boat launch at Sparks Lake. The site has a parking area, a lake trail, and dispersed camping at locations accessible by boat.[9] A more formal campground run by the Forest Service is nearby along Soda Creek.[10]
Sparks Lake supports populations of brook trout and stocked cutthroat trout. Fly fishing is the only kind of angling allowed on the lake. Motorboats may be used for transportation, but fishing is allowed from them only when their motors are turned off.[11]