A jeweler and miner from Wilbur named the lake in 1900 after his daughter , Alta Heinz . In 1951 , the city of Pateros gave the property to the state for the establishment of a state park . In 2014 , the park was severely damaged during the Carlton Complex Fire , which forced the park to close for five weeks . Recovery efforts are on-going
Carlton Complex Fire
Carlton Complex Fire
Alta Lake State Park