Henrys Lake
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| Henrys Lake | |
|---|---|
| Location | Idaho |
| Primary outflows | Henrys Fork |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 8 sq mi (20.7 km²) |
| Surface elevation | 6,472 ft (1,973 m) |
Henrys Lake is a small shallow natural lake, approximately 8 sq mi (20.7 km²) in area, 4 mi (6.4 km) long and 2 mi (3.2 km) wide, located at 6,472 ft (1,973 m) in the mountains of southeastern Idaho in the United States. It is located on the southwest side of the Henrys Lake Mountains northern Fremont County, approximately 2 mi (3.2 km) south the continental divide along the Montana state line, just west of Targhee Pass. The lake is located in Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
The lake provides the headwaters of the Henrys Fork, a tributary of the Snake River. The lakes lies less than 10 mi (16 km) across the continental divide from the headwaters of the Missouri River in southwestern Montana. In fact, had Lewis and Clark hiked the roughly ten miles east to Henrys Lake, they would have discovered a direct river route to the Pacific Ocean. Henrys Lake produces a tributary to the Snake River, which eventually empties into the Columbia River and subsequently the Pacific Ocean. Instead, after encountering a medium sized ridge that obstructed the view of Henrys Lake, the expedition decided to trudge westward, a decision that nearly led to the demise of the expedition.
Henrys Lake State Park is on the shore of the lake.
