Devil’s Lake is another lake along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, just outside of Bend, Oregon. The emerald waters of Devils Lake, a popular picnic and camping spot that treats visitors to an eerie optical illusion: crystal clear water and a shallow white pumice bottom make it seem as if boats on the surface are floating in midair. Devil’s Lake is comprised of glacial water from glaciers up the mountains nearby. Glacial water is some of the cleanest and purest water on earth – hence the color of this beautiful, Caribbean-looking lake. Being located right off the byway, it’s not hard to miss. We simply pulled our car over, walked out, and there it is. It is one of the smallest of the Cascade Lakes, so it’s easy to see the whole of it. The higher we were above the lake, the greener it looked, and the closer we got, the clearer it looked.
