Curlew Lake is situated in a glacially carved valley of the same name. The lake is just under 1,000 surface acres in size, approximately 5.5 miles long and less than ½ mile wide. Curlew Lake boasts four small islands and is often teeming with wildlife as well as good fishing. This stream fed lake, just north of Republic, Washington, takes in the waters of Fish Hatchery Creek, Herron Creek, Mires Creek, Barrett Creek and Trout Creek, and is named for the long-billed curlew, although the bird no longer frequents this area.
This (below) may be the quintessential view of Curlew Lake
looking south from the north end of the lake at the old railroad trestle now
converted to a non-motorized recreational trail (for more on that see the page
Ferry County Rail Trail).
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| Mists over Curlew Lake - J. Foster Fanning photography |
Curlew Lake State Park
Curlew Lake State park sits on the eastern shore of the lake it is named after. It is a 123 acre camping park with 57 tent sites, 25 utility spaces, several primitive sites one dump station, two restrooms and four showers. The park is eight miles north of the town of Republic along Washington State Highway 21.
WATERSHED
The Curlew Lake watershed area provides runoff to both Curlew Lake and Roberta Lake (a small sister lake to the south). This watershed is relatively undeveloped, with a geologic profile consisting of a mountainous basin relief of over 4,000 feet. Prevalent landscape features include mix forested land intermixed with smaller valleys and sporadic meadow . Both lakes drain north into Curlew Creek eventually joining the Kettle River at the town of Curlew, Washington, 10 miles north of the lakes. The primary watershed consists of the creeks and streams mentioned above including Trout Creek, Barrett Creek, Mires Creek, and Herron Creek, an area of approximately 41,000 acres. A sub drainage basin of the North and South Fork of the Sanpoil River (Fish Hatchery Creek) covers approximately 25,000 acres. A very unique geologic feature of this upper reach of the San Poil drainage is that the stream flow splits in two just east of where it flows under State Highway 21, part of the creek flows north into Lake Roberta with the remainder flowing south and forming the San Poil River proper.
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More to come. Check back soon...
Curlew Lake State park sits on the eastern shore of the lake it is named after. It is a 123 acre camping park with 57 tent sites, 25 utility spaces, several primitive sites one dump station, two restrooms and four showers. The park is eight miles north of the town of Republic along Washington State Highway 21.
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The park boasts the following wildlife: Mule Deer and Whitetails, Muskrats, Rabbits, Raccoons,
Squirrels, Chipmunks, Coyotes, Eagles,
Osprey, Geese, Hawks, Herons, Hummingbirds,
Jays, Turkeys, Woodpeckers, Bass, Trout, Painted Turtles, Loons, Owls, and much
more.
J. Foster Fanning photography |
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| An early summer view of Curlew Lake State Park - photo by J. Foster Fanning photography |
WATERSHED
The Curlew Lake watershed area provides runoff to both Curlew Lake and Roberta Lake (a small sister lake to the south). This watershed is relatively undeveloped, with a geologic profile consisting of a mountainous basin relief of over 4,000 feet. Prevalent landscape features include mix forested land intermixed with smaller valleys and sporadic meadow . Both lakes drain north into Curlew Creek eventually joining the Kettle River at the town of Curlew, Washington, 10 miles north of the lakes. The primary watershed consists of the creeks and streams mentioned above including Trout Creek, Barrett Creek, Mires Creek, and Herron Creek, an area of approximately 41,000 acres. A sub drainage basin of the North and South Fork of the Sanpoil River (Fish Hatchery Creek) covers approximately 25,000 acres. A very unique geologic feature of this upper reach of the San Poil drainage is that the stream flow splits in two just east of where it flows under State Highway 21, part of the creek flows north into Lake Roberta with the remainder flowing south and forming the San Poil River proper.
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| Looking east across Curlew Lake to the Kettle River Range summit of Mount Leona at XXXXX feet. The upper slopes of Mount Leona bare the scars of wildfires that have plagued the range over the recent decades. J. Foster Fanning photography |
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| Middle reaches of Curlew Lake looking northwest from the State Park. Zipphel Island is visible beyond the point of Black's Beach Resort. J. Foster Fanning photography |
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| Wiseman Island on Curlew Lake boasts a great blue heron rookery, at least two osprey nests and one lone cabin. J. Foster Fanning photography |
More to come. Check back soon...
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