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Todd Lake (Oregon)

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Todd Lake (Oregon)

Todd Lake is a natural lake near the crest of the Cascade Range in central Oregon in the United States. The lake covers 45 acres (18 ha). It is named in honor of John Y. Todd, an early Missourian settler who settled in the Central Oregon area and participated in the Mexican–American War. Today, the lake and surrounding forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Deschutes National Forest. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regularly stocks the lake with brook trout. There is a day-use area and a rustic campground located on the west shore. In the summer, the lake is a popular outdoor recreation site for picnicking, fishing, hiking, and nature viewing. In the winter, trails in the area are used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Originally, Todd Lake was called "Lost Lake" because it was difficult for people to find. In the early 20th century, citizens of Bend, Oregon, asked that the name of the lake be changed to avoid confusion with several other Oregon lakes with the same name. In 1922, the name of the lake was officially changed to Todd Lake, honoring John Y. Todd, an early pioneer in central Oregon who immigrated to the state in 1852. In 1860, he built the first bridge across the Deschutes River and later became a successful cattle rancher. Todd founded the Farewell Bend Ranch, which gave the city of Bend its name.

Todd Lake and the surrounding forest are part of the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District, an administrative sub-division of the Deschutes National Forest. In 1964, the United States Congress created the Three Sisters Wilderness surrounding the Three Sisters mountains in Oregon's Cascade Range. Todd Lake is just outside the southern boundary of the wilderness. As a result, Todd Lake is a major wilderness access point for hikers.

Road access to Todd Lake has always been via Forest Road 46 (also known as the Cascade Lakes Highway). In 1989, the Forest Service designated the road as a National Forest Scenic Byway. In 1997, the State of Oregon made the road an Oregon state scenic byway. A year later, the federal government officially designated the highway as a national scenic byway, calling it the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. Many travel guides for the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway mention Todd Lake, highlighting its location as the first Cascade lake along the byway.

Todd Lake is located on the east side of the Cascade Range in central Oregon, 24 miles (39 km) southwest of Bend. It is situated in a small glacial valley at the base of Broken Top, south of the peak. The glacier that created the valley melted away about 13,000 years ago, leaving a glacial cirque. As a result, the lake is relatively deep for its size. The lake's elevation is 6,150 feet (1,870 m) above sea level.

Most of the lake water comes from snow melt. The only year-round inflow is drainage from Bare Lake, a very small natural lake located 0.5 miles (0.80 km) southwest of Todd Lake. The lake's only outlet is Todd Creek, which begins at the south end of the lake. Todd Creek disappears in a lava field approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of the lake.

The watershed that drains into Todd Lake, covering only 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2), is covered by a dense conifer forest. Mountain hemlock, lodgepole pine, and various fir species dominate the forest around the lake. However, there is a narrow strip of meadow land along the south and west side of the lake, and a large meadow at the north end.

Todd Lake is a natural lake that covers 45 acres (0.18 km2). It is approximately 0.5 miles (0.8 km) long and 0.15 miles (240 m) wide. The lake has an average depth of 21 feet (6.4 m) with a maximum depth of 60 feet (18 m) near its south end.

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