The story is fiction, based on legends of Convict Lake, located in the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges of northern California.

Convict Lake, just south of the Mammoth ski resort, got its name from a shootout between a posse and convicts in the late 19th century.

The Secret of Convict Lake (1951)

The Secret of Convict Lake (uncredited)

It rises south of Convict Lake near the town of Mammoth Lakes.

The 1951 film The Secret of Convict Lake was largely based on the events that occurred at the lake in 1871.

According to the narrative included with the movie How the West Was Won, Convict Lake was in the opening scenes.

Convict Lake is known for its fishing, including Rainbow trout, German brown trout, and a species of sucker fish.

In February 1990, Convict Lake was the site of a major drowning.

Twelve teenagers and two counselors from a nearby camp were on a holiday outing at Convict Lake.