Overview
Pathfinder Reservoir is a major early Reclamation storage lake on the North Platte River southwest of Casper, Wyoming, created by Pathfinder Dam (1909) for the North Platte Project. The Bureau of Reclamation operates the reservoir for irrigation storage, downstream power, and recreation; parts of the shoreline lie in Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge. Pathfinder Dam is an early Reclamation masonry arch completed in 1909 on a granite narrows of the North Platte.
At full pool the lake covers about 22,000 acres with 117 miles of shoreline and maximum depth near 192 feet. Granite hills, sagebrush uplands, and a large open basin dominate the setting above Alcova. National wildlife refuge lands limit development on portions of the shoreline and protect bird habitat.
Trout and walleye fisheries are managed by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Campgrounds, ramps, and the Pathfinder interpretive area provide public access. The Pathfinder interpretive trail and historic suspension bridge add a heritage stop near the dam.
Operating elevations are managed within North Platte system storage rules, with full-pool elevations commonly cited near 5,850-5,860 feet above mean sea level. System-wide operations with Seminoe, Alcova, and Glendo mean levels can change with snowmelt and irrigation demand - monitor current lake levels before launching. Storage here underpins much of the North Platte Project's irrigation supply for Wyoming and Nebraska lands.
Current Conditions
Pathfinder Reservoir is currently 64.77 feet below full pool and has been falling over the past week.
- 7-day trendFallingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeDown 0.96 ft
- 30-day changeDown 3.29 ft
- Drought conditionsModerate Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Pathfinder Reservoir is a 22,012-acre reservoir on the North Platte River managed by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.