It was named after Charles Preuss, a cartographer who was on John C. Fremont's first, second and fourth expeditions.

[2] Where or when the spelling error (Preuss vs Pruess) occurred is unknown, but all maps and official state naming documents mention the lake's name as Pruess.

[3] The road that leads to Lexington Arch, part of Great Basin National Park, is just south of Pruess Lake.

The lake is a popular local recreation spot for fishing and minor boating/floating.

One of the most unusual is a mollusk called the California floater (Anodonta californiensis), a species left over from Lake Bonneville.