Elizabeth Lake (California)
| Elizabeth Lake | |
|---|---|
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| Location |
Sierra Pelona Mountains, Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County, California |
| Coordinates | 34°39′57″N 118°24′09″W / 34.6658189°N 118.4025808°WCoordinates: 34°39′57″N 118°24′09″W / 34.6658189°N 118.4025808°W |
| Type | Sag pond |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface elevation | 973 m (3,192 ft) |
| Settlements | Elizabeth Lake, Lake Hughes |
Elizabeth Lake is a natural lake that lies directly on the San Andreas Fault in the northern Sierra Pelona Mountains, in northwestern Los Angeles County, southern California.
The lake, at 984 m (3,228 ft) in elevation, is within the Angeles National Forest. It is a natural perennial lake, but may dry up entirely during drought years. It is south of the western Antelope Valley.
Elizabeth Lake is one of a series of sag ponds created by the motion of the Earth's tectonic plates along the San Andreas Fault in the area, with others including Hughes Lake and the Munz Lakes. They are part of the northern upper Santa Clara River watershed.
The community of Elizabeth Lake is a census-designated place on the shores of the lake. It is administratively within the unincorporated community of Lake Hughes, and shares the same zip code.
In 1780, the Spanish explorer-priest Junipero Serra named the lake La Laguna de Diablo (English: Devil's Lake), because some who lived nearby believed that within it dwelt a pet of the devil, which later came to be known as the Elizabeth Lake Monster.
Sometime after 1834, the lake was called La Laguna de Liebre (English: Rabbit Lake) for a short time. Then in the 1840s it became known as La Laguna de Chico Lopez, for Francisco "Chico" Lopez, who grazed cattle on its banks.
In 1849, Elizabeth Wingfield was camping with her family beside the lake. Walking on a log to fill buckets for cooking and drinking, Elizabeth slipped and fell in. She was not injured, but several other vacationing families witnessed her mishap, and in fun they began calling La Laguna de Chico Lopez Elizabeth's Lake. The name caught on and locals started referring to it as Elizabeth Lake, later becoming the official name.
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Wikipedia