Yellowstone Lake is North America’s largest freshwater lake above 7,000 feet.
The lake sits at an elevation of about 7,732 feet inside Yellowstone National Park. It covers roughly 136 square miles and has approximately 110 miles of shoreline, making it the park’s largest body of water and the largest high-elevation lake of its kind in North America.
Yellowstone Lake occupies part of the Yellowstone volcanic plateau. Its maximum depth is at least 394 feet, although much of the shoreline is shallow and shaped by broad bays, wetlands, and forests. The Yellowstone River both enters and leaves the lake.
Winter ice can become nearly three feet thick across much of the lake. Hot springs beneath or near the water keep some areas from freezing, creating visible patches of open water during the coldest months.