Lake Windermere (or Windermere Lake) is a very large widening in the

Columbia River The Columbia River ( Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia ...

. The village of

Windermere Windermere (sometimes tautologically called Windermere Lake to distinguish it from the nearby town of Windermere) is the largest natural lake in England. More than 11 miles (18 km) in length, and almost 1 mile (1.5 km) at its wides ...

is located on the east side of the

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

, and the larger town of

Invermere Invermere is a community in eastern British Columbia, Canada, near the border of Alberta. It is the hub of the Columbia Valley between Golden to the north and Cranbrook to the south. Invermere sits on the northwest shore of Windermere Lake an ...

is located on the lake's northwestern corner. The average depth of the lake is only . Lake Windermere is a popular vacationing spot, especially for residents of

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, maki ...

, which is a three-hour car drive to the east. The western side of the lake which fronts the

Purcell Mountains The Purcell Mountains are a mountain range in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. They are a subrange of the Columbia Mountains, which includes the Selkirk, Monashee, and Cariboo Mountains. They are located on the west side of the Rocky Moun ...

has a

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...

running along its shore, and as a result, housing and recreational development is minimal there. The eastern side of the lake has a more extensive flatland between the lake and the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...

and has experienced considerable development including cottages, camping grounds, recreational beaches, golf courses and various tourist attractions. Windermere Lake was once known as Lower Columbia Lake, and will be seen as such on older maps of the area. It was given its current name by G.M. Sproat in 1902 because it resembled Lake Windermere in the English

Lake District The Lake District, also known as the Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous for its lakes, forests, and mountains (or '' fells''), and its associations with William Wordswor ...

Lake Windermere Whiteway

The longest ice skating trail can be found on the Lake Windermere Whiteway. The naturally frozen trail measures . When

Guinness Book of World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

verified the record in 2014, the ice measured between and depending where you were in one of the four loops that runs continuously around the lake.

References

{{authority control Columbia River Lakes of British Columbia Columbia Valley Kootenay Land District

Lake Windermere Whiteway

See also

References