Pyramid Lake is 27 miles long by 11 miles wide, covering 112,000 acres entirely within the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Reservation. The perimeter extends over 71 miles overall. The water surface sits at an elevation of 3,397 feet.
The Truckee River, which originates at Lake Tahoe, terminates into Pyramid Lake. As one of the Great Basin lakes, Pyramid Lake does not have any outlets. As a result, the water is salty, at approximately 1/6th the salinity of sea water.
The north and east sides of the lake have access restricted to Tribal members only.
The lake is renown for its fishing, and has a rich ancient history (as the largest remnant of the ancient Lake Lahontan), cultural history among the local Tribes, and modern history relating to water conservation and water use disagreements.
Winds from the Sierra Nevada mounts sweep down across the lake, creating heavier waves and safety concerns sometimes without warning. |
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