# Isa Lake

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Isa_Lake.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isa_Lake
> Source revision: 1343162844
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox body of water
 |name = Isa Lake
 |image = Isa Lake YNP1.jpg
 |caption = Isa Lake
 |image_bathymetry =
 |caption_bathymetry =
 |location =  [Yellowstone National Park](/source/Yellowstone_National_Park), [Teton County](/source/Teton_County%2C_Wyoming), [Wyoming, US](/source/Wyoming)
 |coords = {{coord|44|26|27|N|110|43|09|W|type:waterbody_region:US-WY|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis|id=1589979|name=Isa Lake}}</ref>
 |type = Natural lake
 |inflow = 
 |outflow = [Firehole River](/source/Firehole_River) (west) (spring only) <br> [Lewis River](/source/Lewis_River_(Wyoming)) (east) (spring and early summer)
 |catchment =
 |basin_countries = United States
 |length = 
 |width = 
 |area = 
 |depth =
 |max-depth = 
 |volume =
 |residence_time =
 |shore =
 |elevation = {{convert|8262|ft|m}}<ref name=gnis/>
 |islands =
 |cities =
<!--      Map      -->
| pushpin_map             = Wyoming#USA 
| pushpin_label_position  = 
| pushpin_map_alt         = Location of Isa Lake in Wyoming, USA.
| pushpin_map_caption     = 
<!--   Below       -->  
| website            = 
| reference          = 
}}

'''Isa Lake''' is located in [Yellowstone National Park](/source/Yellowstone_National_Park), in the [U.S. state](/source/U.S._state) of [Wyoming](/source/Wyoming).<ref>{{cite web| title =Craig Pass, USGS Craig Pass (WY) Topo Map| publisher =TopoQuest USGS Quads| url =http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?lat=44.44083&lon=-110.71833&datum=nad27&u=4&layer=DRG&size=l&s=50| format =Map| access-date = 2008-06-29}}</ref> The lake straddles the [continental divide](/source/Continental_Divide_of_the_Americas) at [Craig Pass](/source/Craig_Pass). [Hiram M. Chittenden](/source/Hiram_M._Chittenden) became the first known European to sight the lake in 1891, while searching for the best routes connecting [Old Faithful](/source/Old_Faithful) and the [West Thumb Geyser Basin](/source/West_Thumb_Geyser_Basin). Chittenden named the lake after Miss Isabel Jelke, from [Cincinnati](/source/Cincinnati), though it is not clear why.<ref name="isa">{{cite web | url =http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/grant-area-nat-highs-5.htm | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120114064610/http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/grant-area-nat-highs-5.htm | url-status =dead | archive-date =January 14, 2012 | title = Isa Lake| work = Grant Area Natural Highlights | publisher = National Park Service| access-date = 2012-08-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n155 166]}}</ref>
[[File:Continental Divide sign at Two-Ocean Lake.JPG|250px|thumb|right|Map of [Continental Divide](/source/Continental_Divide_of_the_Americas) at Isa Lake]]
Isa Lake is believed to be one of the few natural lakes in the world which [drain to two different oceans](/source/Lake_bifurcation), another being [Wollaston Lake](/source/Wollaston_Lake).<ref name="isa"/> The east side of the lake drains by way of the [Lewis River](/source/Lewis_River_(Wyoming)) to the [Pacific Ocean](/source/Pacific_Ocean) and the west side of the lake drains by way of the [Firehole River](/source/Firehole_River) to the [Gulf of Mexico](/source/Gulf_of_Mexico).<ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.wyomingtourism.org/articles/detail/Isa-Lake-in-Yellowstone-National-Park/405324| title =Isa Lake| publisher =Wyomingtourism.org| access-date =2012-08-04| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140921083101/http://www.wyomingtourism.org/articles/detail/Isa-Lake-in-Yellowstone-National-Park/405324| archive-date =2014-09-21| url-status =dead}}</ref>

The lake is easy to visit as it is adjacent to the road that now connects the Old Faithful and West Thumb geysers basins, on what is known as the "lower loop" of the figure-eight roadway which traverses through Yellowstone. The [great yellow pond-lily](/source/Nuphar_polysepala) thrives in the lake. {{gallery
|title=Images of Isa Lake
|footer=
|width=150
|File:IsaLake1921.jpg|Isa Lake, 1921
|File:IsaLake.jpg|Isa Lake on [Craig Pass](/source/Craig_Pass) Road
|File:Isalake.jpg|Isa Lake
}}
{{Commons category|Isa Lake}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{Upper Geyser Basin}}
{{Wyoming}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Lakes of Teton County, Wyoming
Category:Lakes of Wyoming
Category:Lakes of Yellowstone National Park
Category:Great Divide of North America
Category:Bifurcation lakes

{{wyoming-geo-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Isa Lake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isa_Lake) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isa_Lake?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.