In 1882, Adolphus Greely was the first European to discover the lake during his 1881–1883 expedition. He named the lake in honour of General William Babcock Hazen, who had organized the expedition. Camp Hazen was established on the northern shore of the lake in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year (IGY), and has been used by various scientific parties since then.
In 1882, Adolphus Greely, a European explorer, discovered Lake Hazen during his expedition from 1881 to 1883. He named the lake after General William Babcock Hazen, who led the expedition. Camp Hazen was established on the northern shore of the lake in 1957 as part of the International Geophysical Year (IGY). The camp has been used by various scientific groups since then.