Blue Lake, Utah

Blue Lake is a geothermal, spring-fed, 10-acre lake in the wilderness of the Utah-Nevada border (about 20 miles south of Wendover) on the edge of the Utah Test and Training Range in Tooele County. The warm spring water, surrounded by a 216-acre marsh, keeps the lake open to diving year-round. Spearfishing is prohibited. Check out the collection of metal sculptures: hammerhead shark, turtle, rhinoceros and praying mantis, placed on the bottom of the lake by University of Utah divers. Two underwater platforms and a maximum depth of 59 feet (18 m) make the lake an ideal spot for new divers to hone their skills. Altitude diving rules come into play here, as the lake sits at an elevation of nearly 4,300 feet. Who is responsible for the site is unclear, according to the Tooele County Chamber of Commerce. The Army Corps of Engineers once installed restrooms at the site but vandals destroyed them. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the U.S. Air Force once had an agreement on limited wildlife management but it "fell by the wayside." Different government agencies have maintained the area but divers serve as unofficial caretakers.

Depths to: 59 feet (18 m)

Visibility: Blue Lake's water is slightly salty and light blue in color. Visibility is 15-25 feet (4.5-7.5 m). Silt is easily stirred up by divers on the bottom.

Water temperature: Surface water temperature is about 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) in midsummer. Near the bottom, the temperature increases to 83 F (28 C). (Winter surface temperature is about 69 F [20 C].) There is no thermocline.

Aquatic life: Warm-water species like bass and bluegill.

Fees: None

On-site amenities: No services are available at the site, including no bathroom and no fresh water. A wooden walkway built over the surrounding marsh helps divers reach the site. The closest amenities are in Wendover.

More info: Call the Tooele County Chamber of Commerce at (435) 882-0690.

Open: Year-round

Getting there: From West Wendover, Nevada, which is on the Nevada-Utah border, travel south for 15 miles on Alt-U.S. 93 (heading toward Ely). Look for the "Blue Lake" sign. Take the dirt road east (left) seven miles into Utah and to Blue Lake. Parking is on the west side of the lake.