Independence Lake - Nevada County, California

Visited on 7/5/18 during a long weekend trip to Lake Tahoe to watch the 4 ^th of July Fireworks Celebration and for a long weekend of High Sierra camping with Jeff and our dogs, Summer and Skye.  We centrally located ourselves for the weekend at the Lodgepole campground at Lake Valley Reservoir near Cisco Grove, CA. Independence Lake is 800 acres large at an elevation of 6,949 feet above sea level. 

Independence Lake is one of the most pristine alpine lakes west of the Rockies. For 50 years, Independence Lake has been the target for development, with the threat of permanent closure. Over the decades, the Disney Corporation and a Silicon Valley billionaire have tried to purchase the land and lake for profit-making endeavors. Protection efforts have been ongoing due to the lake being the home of the last wild populations of Lahontan cutthroat trout. The Nature Conservancy and Land Trust have secured the area now, with plans to construct user-friendly trails and campgrounds.

The lake and surrounding alpine forests offer exceptional recreation, including hiking, fishing, kayaking and bird watching in the beautiful Sierra Nevada.  Independence Lake's beauty and rustic nature are matched only by the amazing biodiversity that it supports. Independence Lake is home to one of only two wild, self-sustaining lake populations of Lahontan cutthroat trout in the world - a fish that has been lost from 99% of its historic range. Independence Lake also plays an important role in providing clean drinking water to western Nevada by acting as storage for water needed during drought.

In addition to the Lahontan cutthroat trout, Independence Lake hosts populations of six other native Lahontan fishes that have lived here since glaciers disappeared some 10,000 years ago. Because of its pristine nature and intact ecosystem, Independence Lake has become a unique refuge for rare fish.

The surrounding pine forest is home to black bear, mountain lion, and mule deer. Bald eagles and osprey can be seen from the shorelines, hunting fish. A wolverine has also been spotted near the lake. The region is also home to rare species like the willow flycatcher, mountain yellow-legged frog and Sierra Nevada mountain beaver.

Independence Lake also plays an important role in supporting human communities. As a part of the Truckee River watershed, the lake is a crucial part of the system that supplies clean drinking water to northern Nevada, including Reno and Sparks–particularly during drought.