Cultus Lake

Cultus Lake is a natural lake in Deschutes County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by a glacier, it is located in the high Cascade Range in the Deschutes National Forest. The name is from the Chinook Jargon and means variously bad or worthless, or simply "in vain". In the early 19th century, the lakes in this area abounded with beavers. The earliest explorers to this area were primarily on a quest for furs.DescriptionCultus Lake lies at the base of the Cultus Mountain. The lake itself is natural and is 211ft at its deepest point and about 2mi long. Several species of fish inhabit the lake, including rainbow trout, lake trout (mackinaw) and brook trout.The lake also receives several streams inhabited by younger fish. The largest is Winopee Creek, which enters through the marsh on the northwestern side, a popular fly fishing spot. Two miles south is a smaller lake called Little Cultus Lake. The two lakes are divided by Cultus Mountain. The lake empties to the east via Cultus Creek, which flows into Crane Prairie Reservoir.The area around Cultus Lake is known for its large ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and western white pine, sometimes rising to 120ft tall. However, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the large pines are being weakened by competing understory fir trees and mountain pine beetle attacks. If the trend is not reversed, there will be a shift in tree species (and tree size) from pine and Douglas-fir to white fir.