Every Lake
Waldo Lake
138 feet deep and among the clearest lakes on Earth, in Oregon's Cascade Range.
- 23 ft · first step
- 46 ft
- 69 ft
- 92 ft
- 115 ft
- 138 ft · bottom
About Waldo Lake
Waldo Lake sits in the Cascade Range of central Oregon, within Willamette National Forest, roughly 60 miles southwest of Bend. The basin was carved by glacial action during the last ice age and is dammed by glacial moraine, with no major streams feeding it and only a small outlet into the North Fork of the Middle Fork Willamette River. The lake covers about 5,864 acres and reaches a maximum depth near 138 feet. Its water comes almost entirely from rain and snowmelt, which is why researchers and campers alike have long noted its clarity.
Access runs through Forest Service roads off Highway 58, with campgrounds at Islet and North Waldo drawing paddlers, backpackers, and swimmers each summer. Motors are restricted to electric trolling only, a rule meant to protect water clarity, so canoes and kayaks dominate the surface instead of powerboats. The Waldo Lake Wilderness surrounds much of the shoreline, and trails tie into the larger Pacific Crest Trail corridor nearby. Mosquito season can run heavy in July, a trade locals accept for the quiet that settles in once crowds thin out by fall.
- 7 roads engraved around the shore, 1 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Waldo Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Waldo Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 23 ft, 46 ft, 69 ft, 92 ft, 115 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 138 ft. The lake covers about 9.3 square miles, and 7 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Waldo Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Waldo Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Waldo Lake.
Waldo Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Waldo Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Waldo Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 138 ft
- 9.3 square miles of water
- 7 shore roads engraved, 1 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
