The lake
Liberty Lake, the lake
About 700 acres of water at the foot of Mica Peak, a short walk south of the city that took its name. Once Spokane's "Inland Seashore," now a fishing, paddling and swimming lake with a 3,500-acre park at its south end.
At a glance
Big, shallow and fed by a mountain creek
- Surface area
- ~700 acres
- About 1.1 square miles
- Deepest point
- ~30 ft
- About 25 feet on average
- Shoreline
- 4.4 mi
- Approximate; shorelines are hard to measure
- Elevation
- 2,053 ft
- The city sits at about 2,070 feet
The lake lies just south of the City of Liberty Lake, outside the city limits, about 16 miles east of downtown Spokane, near the Idaho line. Liberty Creek feeds it from the south, out of the forest below Mica Peak. Water leaves through a small creek to the north and by seeping down into the Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, the region's drinking-water source. On average, water stays in the lake about three years.
Sources: Wikipedia, "Liberty Lake (Washington)"; HistoryLink.org Essay 20794; Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Figures are approximate.
On the water
Boating, swimming and fishing
Boat launch. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife runs the lake's public launch, with a concrete ramp and restrooms, open March 1 through October 31.
Swimming and paddling. Liberty Lake Regional Park (opens in a new tab), run by Spokane County Parks at the south end, has the lake's only public swim beach and a seasonal campground, and the county's beach renovation adds an accessible dock with a kayak launch. The park's 3,591 acres also hold the Liberty Lake Loop Trail, through an old-growth cedar grove to Liberty Creek's waterfall.
Fishing. The season runs March 1 through October 31. Anglers catch rainbow and brown trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead and channel catfish.
Boating rules on the lake are enforced by the Spokane County Sheriff's marine unit (opens in a new tab). Check current hours, fees and rules with each agency before you go.
Sources: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; Spokane County Parks; Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition; Wikipedia, "Liberty Lake (Washington)".
History
From Lake Grier to the Inland Seashore
- 1858
Colonel George Wright names it Lake Grier, after Major William N. Grier.
- 1871
Etienne Edward Laliberte, a Quebec-born settler known as Steve Liberty, homesteads on the west shore. The lake later takes his name.
- 1903
The Spokane and Inland Empire Railroad starts electric interurban trains from Spokane, a 45-minute ride.
- 1909
The railroad opens Liberty Lake Park on the northwest shore and sells the lake as Spokane's "Inland Seashore," with a dance pavilion on a pier about 200 feet long.
- 1924
About 14,000 people turn out for the Fourth of July, 9,000 of them by train.
- 1926
The trains stop running and the railroad sells the park, which is renamed Silver City.
- 1960s
Septic tanks around the shore feed phosphorus into the water, and algae blooms take over.
- 1973
Residents vote to form a sewer district to protect the lake. A treatment plant follows in 1982.
- 1991
The last resort on the lake, at Sandy Beach, closes.
- 2000
After three decades of sewering and treatment, a longtime Washington State University researcher calls it one of the most successful lake restorations in the U.S.
- 2011
A monument to Steve Liberty is placed at the north end of the lake.
Sources: HistoryLink.org Essay 20794, "Liberty Lake — Thumbnail History" (2019) (opens in a new tab); Wikipedia, "Liberty Lake, Washington"; The Spokesman-Review, February 19, 2000.
Clean water
A lake that was brought back
By the 1960s, septic tanks around the shore were feeding phosphorus into the lake, and algae blooms followed. Residents formed the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District in 1973 to sewer the homes around the shore and protect the water, and a treatment plant followed in 1982.
It worked. Chlorophyll readings, a measure of algae, that topped 200 in the late 1960s were down to about 7 by 2000, and Washington State University researcher Bill Funk, who studied the lake for more than 30 years, called it "one of the most successful lake restorations in the U.S." The district still manages sewer service and stormwater around the lake today.
Sources: The Spokesman-Review, "Funk leaves a clean, healthy lake," February 19, 2000; Wikipedia, "Liberty Lake, Washington".
Questions about the lake
Is Liberty Lake (the lake) inside the City of Liberty Lake?
No. The lake sits just south of the city, outside the city limits, in unincorporated Spokane County. The city grew up north of it and took its name.
How big and how deep is Liberty Lake?
About 1.1 square miles (roughly 700 acres) with about 4.4 miles of shoreline. It is shallow for its size: about 25 feet deep on average and about 30 feet at its deepest.
Where can the public launch a boat on Liberty Lake?
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife runs the lake's public boat launch, with a concrete ramp and restrooms. It is open March 1 through October 31.
Can you swim in Liberty Lake?
Yes. Liberty Lake Regional Park, run by Spokane County Parks at the south end of the lake, has the lake's only public swim beach. Check the county's park page for current hours and fees.
When is fishing season on Liberty Lake?
March 1 through October 31. Anglers catch trout, bass, yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, catfish and more. A Washington fishing license is required.
Why is it called Liberty Lake?
It was first named Lake Grier in 1858. It was later renamed for Etienne Edward Laliberte ("Steve Liberty"), a Quebec-born settler who homesteaded on the west shore in 1871.
Live near the water
Waterfront and lake-view homes are scarce and turn over slowly. See what's for sale now.
