US lakes & ponds
Nevada › Churchill County › Fallon › Big Cottonwood Lake

Big Cottonwood Lake

Fallon, Nevada — Churchill County.

Share:TextEmailFacebookX
22Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 145888255).

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Big Cottonwood Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Location & fast facts

Where Big Cottonwood Lake is in Nevada

The red circle marks Big Cottonwood Lake.

Fast facts

About Big Cottonwood Lake

  • County: Churchill
  • Nearest city: Fallon (about 9.5 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 64 mi from Reno and 69 mi from Carson City, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Nevada: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Nevada

Official NDOW pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Lake map

Big Cottonwood Lake shoreline

0.1 mileN

No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 145888255), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (39.6002, -118.6148). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Big Cottonwood Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Big Cottonwood Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in PT (America/Los_Angeles), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Big Cottonwood Lake

    How big is Big Cottonwood Lake?

    Big Cottonwood Lake covers about 22 acres in Fallon, Nevada (Churchill County).

    What towns are on Big Cottonwood Lake?

    Big Cottonwood Lake touches Fallon in Churchill County, Nevada.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Big Cottonwood Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Nevada lakes & ponds · All waters in Fallon