Lake County is located in central Colorado with a population of 7,318 people. It was established February 11, 1889 and it derives its name from numerous lakes within its borders at high altitude—including Grand Lake—which was once known as “Colorado’s greatest natural lake”. It covers an area of 1,164 square miles making it one of the smallest counties in Colorado by area. Its topography includes rolling hills with vast tracts of sagebrush meadows surrounded by pinyon pine forests interspersed with juniper trees on higher elevations along mountain slopes.