Unlike El Capitan, Half Dome, or the other well-known Yosemite National Park attractions, Lake Eleanor remains an overlooked yet beautiful section of the park that few take the time and effort to see. Lake Eleanor is an artificial lake in Yosemite National Park that formed in 1918 after the construction of a dam. Covering 953 acres, the body of water's large size and remote location makes it a quieter, less crowded destination for canoeing, hiking, fishing, and camping.