It is situated in the Hays Canyon Range at an elevation of 5,948 feet (1,813 metres).

[2][1] Explorer John C. Frémont passed New Year Lake on December 26, 1843 during his second expedition.

[1] The lake appeared unnamed on the map he created after the expedition in 1845.

[2] The name of New Year Lake was changed into Crook's Lake in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) in 1966.

This happened after a local rancher sent a note to the Board on Geographic Names, in which he wrote that the lake was called "Crooks Lake" ever since a battle took place in 1867 near the lake between General George Crook and the Northern Paiute.