Angel Lake and the East Humboldt Mountains – Wells, Nevada - Atlas Obscura

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Angel Lake and the East Humboldt Mountains

An attractive alpine lake at 8,400 feet that is accessible via a paved road. 

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The East Humboldt Mountains, separated from the Ruby Mountains to the south by Secret Pass, are often considered the northern extension of the Rubies. They have the same granite and metamorphic bedrock, the same glaciated terrain with peaks reaching over 11,000 feet, and the same abundance of streams, alpine lakes, and meadows. 

Uniquely, one of those alpine lakes, Angel Lake, can be reached by a paved road. Angel Lake is a natural cirque lake, but its level has been raised by a small outlet dam for water storage, as is common throughout the United States west.

It’s stocked for fishing and there is also an adjacent campground. Nearby trailheads are for trails that lead to other cirque lakes in the vicinity.

Know Before You Go

Take Nevada State Route 231 from Wells 11.4 miles to the end of the road. It's all paved, but is not open during the winter months, typically opening only after Memorial Day. In addition, although the road is two-lane the entire way, the last few miles are narrow and steep. Large vehicles need to exercise extreme caution.

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May 20, 2022

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