Goose Lake Valley

The Goose Lake Valley is found in south-central Oregon and northeastern California in the United States. It is a high valley at the northwestern edge of North America's Great Basin. Much of the valley floor is covered by Goose Lake, a large lake that does not flow to the ocean and sits on the border between Oregon and California.

For thousands of years, Native Americans lived in the Goose Lake Valley before explorers came in the 1800s. The pioneer trail called the Applegate Trail passed through the valley on its way to southern Oregon. At the south end of Goose Lake, a route called the Lassen Cutoff split off and headed toward the Sacramento Valley.

Today, the biggest town in the valley is Lakeview, Oregon. People there mostly work in raising animals and cutting down trees for wood. The Goose Lake Valley is also a great place for fun activities like hang-gliding, hunting, fishing, and watching birds.

Geography

The Goose Lake Valley is found in Lake County in south-central Oregon and Modoc County in northeastern California. It stretches about 47 miles (76 kilometers) long and 12 miles (19 km) wide.

The biggest town in the valley is Lakeview. Two main roads go through the valley, both passing through Lakeview. U.S. Route 395 runs north to south, while Oregon Route 140 goes east to west. The valley is surrounded by tall mountains on three sides. The highest point nearby is Crane Mountain, which stands at 8,456 feet (2,577 meters) above sea level.

The valley floor sits around 4,900 feet (1,500 m) above sea level and is mostly taken up by Goose Lake. This large lake usually has no outlet, but during very wet years, water can flow into the Pit River. When there is very little rain, the lake can dry up completely. Several streams bring water into the lake from the surrounding mountains.

Geology

The area around the Goose Lake Valley was formed by movements in the Earth's crust called faulted blocking. The valley is a bowl-like area filled with sediments and rocks from long ago. It is surrounded by mountains made of old volcanic rock.

Once, a very large ancient lake covered the whole valley. Over time, the water level went down, and today we have Goose Lake, which is much shallower than the ancient lake used to be. The ground in the valley lets water flow through, which helps keep the area supplied with groundwater.

Climate

The climate in the Goose Lake Valley is typical of the high desert country of south-central Oregon. Summers are warm, and winters are very cold. The valley receives about 14.3 inches (36 cm) of rain each year and about 53.6 inches (136 cm) of snow.

Spring is short, allowing only around 100 days for plants to grow. Summer days are warm and dry, but nights can be cool, with temperatures usually between 75°F and 90°F (24°C to 32°C). Fall days are clear and crisp, while winter temperatures often drop below freezing, with lows sometimes reaching −20°F (−29°C).

Ecology

The Goose Lake Valley has many different places where animals live, such as lakes, marshes, grassy areas, dry forests, and rocky mountain edges. These areas stretch from about 4,700 feet above sea level along the shore of Goose Lake up to over 8,400 feet on Crane Mountain.

The valley is home to many animals, including pronghorn, elk, mule deer, black bears, cougars, bobcats, coyotes, jackrabbits, ground squirrels, and chipmunks. It is also a stop for many birds traveling from Mexico to the Arctic. During spring and fall, birds like Canada geese, snow geese, and various shorebirds rest and feed in the valley before continuing their journey. Some birds, such as American avocets and sandhill cranes, build their nests around Goose Lake. Sadly, farming and cattle grazing have changed some of the marshlands, making it harder for birds to find safe places to live.

The valley’s streams are home to several types of trout, including rainbow trout, brook trout, and the special Goose Lake redband trout, which can grow much larger than other redband trout. These fish are important because the lake can dry up during droughts, so the streams help keep the species alive.

History

Native Americans lived in the Goose Lake Valley for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. The Klamath Indians called the valley’s big lake Newapkshi. Today, it is called Goose Lake.

It is not clear who was the first European to explore the valley. The first explorer to write about his trip through the area was John Work, who led a trapping group in 1832. In 1846, a new trail called the Applegate Trail passed through the valley’s southern end. In 1864, a military officer named C. S. Drew traveled through the valley. In 1865, a road was built through the valley, which helped people settle there.

In 1869, the first community, New Pine Creek, was established. The town of Lakeview was later founded, and it became the county seat of Lake County, Oregon. The first sawmill was built in 1872, which helped the valley’s growing economy. Doctor Bernard Daly was important to the valley’s development. He started a bank, helped rebuild after a fire, and brought a railroad to Lakeview. When he passed away, he left money to help students in Lake County go to college.

Land use

Much of the Goose Lake Valley is private land used for farming. The main way people make money here is by raising cattle and growing crops like hay, wheat, oats, and barley. There are also apple orchards near Davis Creek, California.

Lumber mills are important too. Laws help make sure timber from nearby forests goes to local mills. The valley has beautiful public lands for fun activities like fishing, hiking, and camping. Goose Lake State Recreation Area, managed by Oregon’s parks department, offers camping with parking, restrooms, picnic tables, and spaces for tents and trailers. People enjoy boating and watching birds there.

Communities

• Davis Creek, California is a small community on the east side of the Goose Lake Valley near the south end of Goose Lake.
• Lakeview, Oregon is a city near the north end of the Goose Lake Valley. On 7 November 1876, it became the county seat of Lake County.
• New Pine Creek, Oregon is a small community on the east side of Goose Lake, just north of the California border. It was named after a nearby stream.
• Pine Creek, California is a small community on the east side of Goose Lake, just south of the Oregon border.