- Ross Lake sits amongst the snow-dotted peaks and densely forested hills of the North Cascades, providing visitors with a breathtaking alpine panorama. The lake stretches from Diablo Lake in the south all the way up into Canada, hopping a fault system and several hundred millennia of geologic history along the way. Ross Lake is a hydroelectric reservoir, created when Ross Dam was constructed in 1949. The shores of this 22-mile-long lake are a perfect place for boatpacking or backpacking. Hike the East Bank Trail to traverse the fault zone, visit geologic terranes, and travel back in time through geologic history. For a more relaxed visit, the Ross Lake Resort provides cozy floating cabins where visitors can view the sunset with all the comforts of home.