Navajo Lake, endorheic reservoir in Kane County, Utah, United States
Navajo Lake is a small body of water in Kane County, Utah, surrounded by dense forests of pine, spruce, and fir trees within the Dixie National Forest. The water is clear and fed entirely through underground channels, as it has no surface outlet to carry water away.
Navajo Lake formed when a lava flow blocked a valley and cut off the surface drainage of Duck Creek, causing water to accumulate behind the natural lava dam. Evidence of this ancient volcanic activity remains visible today in the rock formations visible along the shoreline.
Navajo Lake carries a name rooted in local history, originally called 'Pa-Cu-Ay' or 'Cloud Lake' by the Paiute people whose language reflects deep ties to this mountain region. The current name reflects past interactions between settlers and Navajo tribes that shaped the area's identity.
The lake sits roughly 25 miles east of Cedar City along Highway U-14 and is easily accessible by car. A nearby campground provides over 120 campsites with picnic tables and fire rings for overnight stays at this mountain elevation.
Water from the lake never leaves the area by flowing downhill but instead seeps entirely into underground aquifers that feed distant springs elsewhere. This hidden underground flow makes the lake a hydrological wonder that most visitors overlook while gazing at the visible surface.
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