Angel Lake and the East Humboldt Mountains

Looking straight west across Angel Lake. The outlet valve is at lower right. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Telephoto view of Chimney Rock (to left) and another glacial spire. They tower over the Angel Lake cirque to the south. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Chimney Rock (to left, partly hidden) and another glacial spire. They tower over the Angel Lake cirque to the south. Note Angel Lake in the right foreground. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Looking straight west across Angel Lake. The valve for the outlet dam is visible at lower left. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Angel Lake looking northwest. The outlet valve is on the right. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

View northeasterly from the vicinity of Angel Lake. Wells, Nevada is barely visible at upper right as the clump of trees. The freeway running roughly horizontally across the upper part of the picture is Interstate 80. The haze is smoke from wildfires in California. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Smith Lake, looking west. This lake lies in the next cirque north of Angel Lake and is reached by a trail about 1.5 miles long. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Smith Lake, at the shore. This lake lies in the next cirque north of Angel Lake and is reached by a trail about 1.5 miles long. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Smith Lake, looking southwest. This lake lies in the next cirque north of Angel Lake and is reached by a trail about 1.5 miles long. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

View southeasterly from a trail out of Angel Lake, showing the highway that goes to the lake. The haze is smoke from wildfires in California. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Chimney Rock (to left, partly hidden) and another glacial spire. They tower over the Angel Lake cirque to the south. The haze is from wildfires in California. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Angel Lake, looking northwest off the dam. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Angel Lake, looking west. The structure is the outlet valve on the dam. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Road into Angel Lake, looking southeasterly from a trail out of Angel Lake. The haze is smoke from wildfires in California. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Angel Lake, looking southwest. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

Angel Lake, looking northwest. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

breaingram (Atlas Obscura User)

Angel Lake from the outlet dam, looking south. slgwv (Atlas Obscura User)

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.