Summer and lakes go together like … well, like paddles andcanoes. The sun climbs high in the August sky, inviting you tobask, then leading you to think, Oh, if only I could cool down. Andthere it is, shimmering blue before you: the lake.
The West is blessed in lakes large and small from puddle-sizeponds ideal for catching tadpoles to vast bodies of water thatgenerate their own weather systems and can be seen from outerspace.
In this story, we focus mainly on lesser-known lakes that areperfect for summer vacationing – lakes with great scenery, greatlodging and camping options, and lots of things to do. Or not todo, that being one of a lake’s other charms: It invites you to doabsolutely nothing, blissfully, from now until Labor Day, and maybebeyond.