Local Experience

Soap Lake, a meromictic soda lake in Washington, was formed by the Missoula Floods. Its name derives from the natural foam that gives the water a soapy appearance and feel. Covering about 2 square miles and reaching a depth of 70 feet, the lake’s mineral-rich waters are believed to have medicinal properties. Historically, rival tribes would pause conflicts to heal at Soap Lake, supported by numerous Native American artifacts found nearby. In the 1920s, tourist guides labeled it as the “world’s greatest mineral sea,” with claims of curing ailments like Buerger’s disease. The city promotes itself as “Washington’s Health Resort.”