Yellowstone Lake lies inside which U.S. national park?

Yellowstone Lake lies inside Yellowstone National Park.

Located mainly in Wyoming, Yellowstone Lake is the largest lake in Yellowstone National Park and the largest body of water in the state. It occupies part of the Yellowstone caldera, the enormous volcanic depression formed after a major eruption roughly 640,000 years ago.

The lake sits at about 7,732 feet above sea level and covers approximately 136 square miles. Its only surface outlet is the Yellowstone River, which flows north from Fishing Bridge before descending through the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. In winter, much of the lake can freeze beneath ice nearly three feet thick.

The park’s name can cause confusion because the lake is near several famous landscapes and is not far from Grand Teton National Park. However, Yellowstone Lake is wholly associated with Yellowstone National Park. Native peoples have visited and used the lake region for thousands of years, and archaeological evidence includes camps dating to about 9,300 years ago.