Canada’s Spotted Lake

When it’s filled with water, Spotted Lake in Canada’s province of British Columbia isn’t much to see. The saline lake looks a lot like others of its kind. Sure, it’s pretty in its own way, as all lakes are. But the real beauty of the spotted lake, oddly, comes after most of its water evaporates.

Typically this occurs in the summer time, leaving behind small, multi-shaped pools of mineral rich water that give the lake its name. These pools, filled with highly concentrated magnesium sulfate and other minerals, can range in color from light greens to pale greys and everything in between.

What sets the pools off, though, are the narrow land bridges between each one that are built by hardened minerals. These help to achieve the spotted effect, as they section off pools with varying levels of things like calcium, silver, titanium and sodium sulphates.

Spotted Lake in British Columbia, Canada. (Credit: Wikipedia User Andrew Enns via Creative Commons 3.0)

If it were allowed, visitors to the lake could walk across these areas and dip their toes in the water, something that was highly valued in older times. Indeed, there are stories that the water’s healing powers were once relied on by peoples native to the region after battles with neighboring tribes. There is also talk that some explosives made during World War II drew salts from the lake.

Because of that history, as well as to prevent its previous owners from turning the lake into a spa resort, the Canadian Government and the First Nations joined in purchasing the lake for preservation. It now exists in a fenced-in area that restricts visitors from slogging through it. But there is still plenty to see from the outskirts.

Close-Up: Spotted Lake in British Columbia, Canada. (Credit: Wikipedia User Andrew Enns via Creative Commons 3.0)

To get to the lake, tourists often take Highway 3 and travel to the northwest part of Osoyoos in the eastern Similkameen Valley of the province. Once there, they can snap a few photos and be on their way.

But Dave Mai took his visit to the next level, filming some birds-eye footage of the lake with a drone. View the video here.

Know of any other lakes like this? Have you ever visited Spotted Lake? Please consider leaving a comment to share your thoughts!