THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



This lake has an area of fifty acres and lies in a crater formation. It 

 is easily reached by trail from Sisters. 



THE BEAUTIES OF SPARKS LAKE. 



The next shipment of 10,000 rainbow- trout was Sparks lake, which 

 is a deep blue body of water about five miles long and one mile wide. 

 It is located twenty-seven miles southwest of Bend and is seventy-one 

 miles from Oakridge via government trail. The South Sister lies a little 

 to the west of north, and Batchelor mountain is situated just to the east 

 and begins to rise near the water's edge. Broken Top mountain is four 

 miles north. Tumalo mountain, though close by, is hidden from view by 

 a lower tree-covered packsaddle-shaped butte. Devil's hill, a rugged, broken 

 mass of rock, a thousand feet high, rises from the northwest side. A jack 

 pine-covered hill extends along the entire south side. On the north side 

 of the lake is a five hundred-acre luxuriantly grass-covered meadow of 

 wild clover, rye, and red top grass. No trees grow on the meadow, but 

 pine forests are all around it. On the upper or west end are many white 

 firs and hemlocks, whose branches serve as good "feathers" for beds. 



— Photograph by Johnson. 

 A Load of Ten Thousand Trout Fry on the Trail for Lakes in the Higher 



Cascades. 



Many streams enter the lake, yet there is no over-ground outlet. The 

 largest one is Sparks creek. It rises at Three Sisters lakes and flows 

 rapidly down the valley until it strikes the big meadow on the north side 

 of the lake. Here it meanders in great winding loops somewhat as does 

 the Deschutes river at Crane Prairie. Dozens of large springs bubble up 

 near the shore line and flow into the lake as brooks. The temperature of 

 the spring water varies from 36 degrees to 42 degrees Fahrenheit. 



A mineral spring similar to Wilhoit and Cascadia is located near the 

 lake. Its water flows into Soda creek, which in turn empties into Sparks 



Pag-e fifteen 



