Battle Ground Lake State Park is a public recreation area located northeast of the city of

Battle Ground, Washington Battle Ground is a city in Clark County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,743 at the 2020 census. Between 2000 and 2005, Battle Ground ranked fourth in the state for population growth, out of 279 eligible incorporated communiti ...

. The

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

is covered by an

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

forest located around a

crater lake Crater Lake ( Klamath: ''Giiwas'') is a volcanic crater lake in south-central Oregon in the western United States. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park and is famous for its deep blue color and water clarity. The lake partly fill ...

volcanic A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plat ...

origin. The park is managed by the

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission The Washington State Park System is a set of State park, state parks owned by the state government of Washington (state), Washington, United States, USA. They are managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. There are over 140 ...

History

The park is the site of a volcano in the

Boring Lava Field The Boring Lava Field (also known as the Boring Volcanic Field) is a Plio-Pleistocene volcanic field with cinder cones, small shield volcanoes, and lava flows in the northern Willamette Valley of the U.S. state of Oregon and adjacent southwest ...

where a

magma Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natura ...

-induced steam explosion 105,000 years ago made a large bean-shaped crater, a

maar A maar is a broad, low-relief volcanic crater caused by a phreatomagmatic eruption (an explosion which occurs when groundwater comes into contact with hot lava or magma). A maar characteristically fills with water to form a relatively shallo ...

, which later filled with water, forming a crater lake. The lake was the site of a resort dating from the 1920s when a consortium of businessmen planned an upgrade that would include the addition of a dance hall, "swimming tanks," and amusements plus a power plant and electric lights. From 1964 to 1968, the resort was operated by Virgil Dollar, a member of the family for whom the nearby intersection of Dollars Corner was named. The state initiated acquisition of the site in 1965, with purchase for US$550,000 approved in 1966. At a meeting in 1970, the State Parks and Recreation Commission determined that "Battle Ground" should be spelled as two words in deference to the spelling of the nearby city.

Activities and amenities

The park includes a swimming area, boat launch, campground, and cabin rentals. Hiking and bridle trails ring the lake and criss-cross the summit area. Rainbow trout and coastal cutthroat trout are stocked during late winter through spring. Largemouth bass, grass carp, and crappie are present, with trout fishing the main attraction for anglers, especially on opening day.

References

External links

Battle Ground Lake State Park
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Battle Ground Lake State Park Map
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission {{authority control State parks of Washington (state) Volcanic crater lakes Maars of the United States Volcanoes of Washington (state) Cascade Volcanoes Subduction volcanoes Lakes of Clark County, Washington Lakes of Washington (state) Protected areas established in 1966 Pleistocene volcanoes