Atlin Lake
Encyclopedia
Atlin Lake is a lake
in northwestern British Columbia
and is that province's largest natural lake. The northern tip of the lake is in the Yukon
, as is Little Atlin Lake. However, most of the lake lies within the Atlin District
of British Columbia. Atlin Lake is considered the source of the Yukon River
although it is actually drained via the short Atlin River into Tagish Lake
.
The name comes from Áa Tlein (in Canadian spelling  Tłèn), the Tlingit name meaning simply "big lake".
The community of Atlin, British Columbia
, is located on the eastern shore of the lake. The southern part of the lake is in the Atlin Provincial Park and Recreation Area
.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in northwestern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and is that province's largest natural lake. The northern tip of the lake is in the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
, as is Little Atlin Lake. However, most of the lake lies within the Atlin District
Atlin District
The Atlin District, also known as the Atlin Country, is a historical region located in the far northwestern corner of the Canadian province of British Columbia, centred on Atlin Lake and the gold-rush capital of the region, the town of Atlin...
of British Columbia. Atlin Lake is considered the source of the Yukon River
Yukon River
The Yukon River is a major watercourse of northwestern North America. The source of the river is located in British Columbia, Canada. The next portion lies in, and gives its name to Yukon Territory. The lower half of the river lies in the U.S. state of Alaska. The river is long and empties into...
although it is actually drained via the short Atlin River into Tagish Lake
Tagish Lake
Tagish Lake is a lake in the Yukon Territory and northern British Columbia, Canada. The lake is more than long and about 2 km wide.It has two arms, the Taku Arm in the east which is very long and mostly in British Columbia and Windy Arm in the west, mostly in the Yukon. The Klondike Highway runs...
.
The name comes from Áa Tlein (in Canadian spelling  Tłèn), the Tlingit name meaning simply "big lake".
The community of Atlin, British Columbia
Atlin, British Columbia
Atlin is a community in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, located on the eastern shore of Atlin Lake. In addition to continued gold-mining activity, Atlin is a tourist destination for fishing, hiking and Heliskiing. As of 2004, there are 450 permanent residents.The name comes from Áa Tlein,...
, is located on the eastern shore of the lake. The southern part of the lake is in the Atlin Provincial Park and Recreation Area
Atlin Provincial Park and Recreation Area
Atlin Provincial Park and Recreation Area is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.-History:Atlin is an anglicization of Áa Tlein, the Tlingit word for "big body of water". The area has been used by the Taku River Tlingit for many years. There are several archeological sites and cultural...
.