Bear Lake, Lake in Bear Lake County, Idaho and Rich County, Utah, United States

Bear Lake is a freshwater body in Bear Lake Valley on the Idaho-Utah border, known for its turquoise water. The color comes from tiny calcium carbonate particles that float in the water column and refract light.

Donald McKenzie of the North West Fur Company explored the lake in 1819 and named it Black Bear Lake, later shortened to Bear Lake. That year nearly 10,000 American Indians from various tribes camped along 7 miles of the north shore to trade with his trapping company. Mormon pioneers led by Charles C. Rich settled the valley in 1863 under an agreement with Native Americans.

Locals often call this body of water the Caribbean of the Rockies because of its bright color and use the shores for family reunions and summer picnics. Farmers in the surrounding area grow raspberries near the water, selling them at markets and small stands during the warm season.

Two state parks along the shore provide access to the water with boat ramps, swimming beaches, and campsites open from May through October. The best time for water activities is between June and September when temperatures are warmer and the water has heated up.

The water hosts four fish species that exist nowhere else on earth and have adapted over thousands of years to the particular chemical conditions. These endemic species are all relatives of whitefish and trout that evolved in isolation after the last ice age.