In 1880, an Italian fisherman discovered the petrified remains of a female Native-American in the gravel at Cascade Lakes which would reveal this woman was a victim killed in the battle between the Washoe and Paiute tribe.

[4] Around the 1880s, Cascade Lake would soon be property to Charles B. Brigham, an international surgeon who purchased the land.

As Brigham expanded his area, he gained ownership to parts of the Emerald Bay's shoreline making him neighbors to Elias "Lucky" Baldwin.

Most of the land around the lake is privately owned, by Brigham's present family, and public access is not allowed.

Only a small part of the lake's western shoreline abuts public (National Forest) land, in USGS sections 28 and 33.

Venturing into the Wilderness, via the difficult terrain of the steeply-sided and remote upper canyon, should only be attempted by those with excellent backcountry skills.