Mormon Lake

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Mormon Lake

Location	Arizona
Coordinates	34°57′13″N, 111°27′13″WCoordinates: 34°57′13″N, 111°27′13″W
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	c. 12 sq mi (31 km²)
Settlements	Mormon Lake

Mormon Lake is a shallow, intermittent lake located in northern Arizona. With an average depth of only 10 feet (3 meters) the surface area of the lake is extremely volatile and fluctuates seasonally. When full, the lake has a surface area of about 12 square miles (31 million square meters), making it the largest natural lake in Arizona.^[1] In particularly dry times, the lake has been known to dry up, leaving behind a remnant marsh.

A small settlement, Mormon Lake Village, exists on the southern shore of the lake. A more developed resort, the Mormon Lake Lodge, is found on the western shore of the lake. The surrounding area, which lies within Coconino National Forest, is part of the largest continuous stand of ponderosa pine in the world, and often hosts campers and hikers. The lake itself is occasionally stockedwith fish species such as bullhead catfish and northern pike, but due to its intermittent nature it may contain few or no fish following dry seasons.

The name of the lake commemorates Mormon settlers who arrived here in the 1870s and founded several dairy farms in the area, none of which exist any longer.