Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Midas Tümülüsü (Tumulus MM)
The Devil's Column
Weightlifting Hall of Fame
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Customize your bowl with sliced pork, pork balls, fish cake, and offal.
Rung Rueang
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
2 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
3 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
4 days ago
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Washington Soap Lake Soap Lake

Soap Lake

People come from across the globe to swim in this lake believed to have healing properties.

Soap Lake, Washington

Added By
gnstrong420
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Soap Lake   gnstrong420 / Atlas Obscura User
Soap Lake   gnstrong420 / Atlas Obscura User
Soap Lake   gnstrong420 / Atlas Obscura User
Soap Lake at sunset.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Looking northerly along Soap Lake.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The shoreline foam that gives Soap Lake its name.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Sundial with Native American themes at Soap Lake, Washington.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

This Place Is a Stub

Help improve this place with additional information or photos.

Make an Edit

About

In the town bearing its name, Soap Lake has been heralded for centuries for its curative properties. The lake gets its name from the natural occurring foam that forms on the surface of the water, giving it a soapy appearance. The water also has an extremely soapy feel as well, as the lake is teeming with more than 20 minerals. It's not unusual to find people visiting the lake from across the globe seeking to soak in the mineral-rich waters or to coat themselves in the mud of the lake. 

Related Tags

Lakes Water

Know Before You Go

Bring a snorkel or goggles because the water is clear enough you can see everything.

Community Contributors

Added By

gnstrong420

Edited By

slgwv

  • slgwv

Published

August 9, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Soap Lake
Soap Lake, Washington, 98851
United States
47.389307, -119.490591

Nearby Places

Monster Rock

Ephrata, Washington

miles away

Summer Falls

Coulee City, Washington

miles away

Blue Lake Rhino Cave

Coulee City, Washington

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Washington

Washington

United States

Places 323
Stories 38

Nearby Places

Monster Rock

Ephrata, Washington

miles away

Summer Falls

Coulee City, Washington

miles away

Blue Lake Rhino Cave

Coulee City, Washington

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Washington

Washington

United States

Places 323
Stories 38

Related Places

  • A turquoise Lago Coatepeque.

    El Salvador

    Lago Coatepeque

    This color-changing crater lake in El Salvador is occasionally impenetrable to sunlight.

  • Lake Chelan above Stehekin (on shore to left).

    Washington

    Lake Chelan

    A narrow fjord-like lake, the third-deepest in the United States, runs for over 50 miles into the Cascades of Washington state.

  • An aerial view of the pink waters of Lake Atanasovsko.

    Nessebar, Bulgaria

    Lake Atanasovsko

    One of the world’s only pink lakes where it's possible to take a dip.

  • Rickmansworth, England

    Rickmansworth Aquadrome

    In this recreational park, two artificial lakes share a surprising connection to Wembley Stadium.

  • A view of the perfectly round Lac Pavin.

    Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise, France

    Lac Pavin

    This volcanic crater lake is renowned for its perfectly round shape, stunning blue-green waters, and unique geological properties.

  • Pedra de Lume

    Sal, Cape Verde

    Pedra de Lume

    An incredibly salty lake inside the crater of an extinct volcano.

  • Wind Point Lighthouse

    Wind Point, Wisconsin

    Wind Point Lighthouse

    One of the oldest and tallest lighthouses still in service on Lake Michigan.

  • Grand Etang Lake

    Grenada

    Grand Etang

    This lake with an inactive volcano underneath is often said to be bottomless.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.