{"id":18976,"date":"2017-08-16T06:11:26","date_gmt":"2017-08-16T13:11:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=18976"},"modified":"2020-04-27T18:29:24","modified_gmt":"2020-04-28T01:29:24","slug":"5-alpine-lakes-to-hike-to-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/5-alpine-lakes-to-hike-to-right-now","title":{"rendered":"5 Alpine Lakes to Hike to Right Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

An essential summer experience? Hiking to an alpine lake. These five are in their prime.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are few more sublime pleasures than arriving at an alpine lake after a long day on the trail. A water’s-edge picnic, skipping stones and feeling the cool breeze off the water are all feathers in a hiker’s cap. W<\/span>ith a myriad of mountain ranges crisscrossing the American West, thousands of alpine lakes have been carved into the untamed wilderness over several millennia.\u00a0Here are five of the most Insta-worthy lake trails.<\/span>\u00a0The prime time to hike them? Right now, when the temps are still comfortable\u2014even at 11,000 feet\u2014and before the snow hits again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Diablo Lake<\/b><\/h2>\n

Where: North Cascades National Park, Washington
\nDistance: 3.7 miles
\nDifficulty:\u00a0Intermediate\/Difficult
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Diablo

Photo: Steve Cyr, Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Mount Rainier National Park<\/a>, home to Washington\u2019s tallest peak, receives 1.9 million visitors per year, and Olympic National Park<\/a>, famous for its foreboding rainforest, attracts 2.8 million. But the Evergreen State\u2019s <\/span>third\u00a0<\/span>national park hosts one of the region\u2019s most scenic alpine lakes\u2014minus the crowds:\u00a0<\/span>Deep within\u00a0North Cascades National Park<\/a>, which sees just 29,000 visitors per year, is the <\/span>Diablo Lake Trail.<\/span><\/a> \u00a0On the trail, you\u2019ll gain roughly 1,000 feet over the course of 3.7 miles, pass cascading waterfalls and take in clear views of a variety of peaks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your first glimpse of glacially-fed Diablo Lake comes about 1.5 miles in. There, a short side trip under the transmission lines leads to a vista overlooking its blue-green waters above its north shore. As you continue, you\u2019ll spy Pyramid, Snowfield, Davis and Colonial Peaks rising above the treeline. You\u2019re getting close to the turnaround point once you\u2019ve started the switchbacks 600 feet down to a suspension bridge near Ross Lake. Enjoy the views of Ross Lake Dam before turning around.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sky Pond<\/b><\/h2>\n

Where: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
\nDistance: 8.3 miles
\nDifficulty:\u00a0Intermediate\/Difficult<\/em><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll have to <\/span>work <\/span>to enjoy the beauty of <\/span>Sky Pond<\/a> in Rocky Mountain National Park<\/a><\/span>. But if you\u2019re not put off by the ascent\u2014hikers gain 2,000 feet over four miles\u2014or the rock scramble near the hike\u2019s end, you\u2019ll be rewarded with a lake that\u2019s surrounded on three sides by sheer rock walls.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first four miles start easily, snaking through thick pine forests and passing the 30-foot-tall Alberta Falls\u00a0before reaching Timberline Falls (also roughly 30 feet tall). To continue to Sky Pond, climb a chute\u00a0<\/span>next to the waterfall<\/span>, which requires a steep, 100-foot, Class 3 rock scramble.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once beyond Timberline Falls, you\u2019ll arrive at the stark Lake of Glass almost immediately. Cross some granite slabs westward along the shore, and you\u2019ll arrive at the foot of Taylor Glacier. Here, Sky Pond sits at nearly 11,000 feet. Take in views of Taylor Peak, Powell Peak and the Sharktooth, all over 12,000 feet tall, surrounding you and the alpine lake.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Twin Lakes<\/b><\/h2>\n

Where: Mammoth Lakes, California
\nDistance: 3.2 miles
\nDifficulty: Difficult<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Photo: Don Graham, Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Twin Lakes is actually <\/span>one <\/span>lake: two larger bodies of water connected by a narrow channel. It\u2019s also the only lake in the Mammoth Lakes Basin accessible by car, but why drive when you can hike to it along the <\/span>Dragon\u2019s Back\/TwinLakes Trail<\/span><\/a>?<\/span><\/p>\n

The trail begins at the summit of 11,000-foot-tall Mammoth Mountain and follows the steepest and shortest path down the mountain. D<\/span>escend\u00a02,500 feet as you work your way toward the lake.\u00a0<\/span>Less than a mile before the bottom, look for the Bottomless Pit, a lava tube chute that attracts skiers in the winter. Continue through the pine forest until you hit the lake. Twin Lakes isn’t a secret\u2014there\u2019s even a wedding chapel near its shore\u2014but the sights along the trail are some of the most scenic in the region.<\/span><\/p>\n

White Pine Lake<\/b><\/h2>\n

Where: Salt Lake Valley, Utah
\nDistance: 5.2 miles
\nDifficulty: Intermediate\/Difficult<\/em><\/p>\n

White Pine Trail<\/a>\u00a0passes through alpine forests and features several water crossings. With thick, tall pines lining the trail, you’ll have plenty of shade as you make your way toward the water. After four miles, the path will open up to a basin. Look to the southwest, and you’ll see the pass that drops quickly down to White Pine Lake.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

Want to keep going? Continue on the Red Pine Lake<\/a> trail, which will add an additional 2.3 miles onto your trek and take you to another remote alpine lake. T<\/span>he trail ends at the northern edge of Red Pine Lake, surrounded by wildflowers each summer, thickets of trees and sheer cliff walls. From here, you can continue to Upper Red Pine Lake (via a rough, unofficial trail along the stream flowing into Red Pine Lake) or make the 1.5-mile climb to the top of the Pfeifferhorn, a scenic summit more than 11,000 feet above sea level.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Lake Solitude<\/b><\/h2>\n

Where: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
\nDistance: 14.2 miles
\nDifficulty: Intermediate<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Photo: Marshal Hedin, Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

If you only have time for one hike in <\/span>Grand Teton National Park<\/span><\/a>, this is it. The Lake Solitude <\/a>trail\u00a0is an all-encompassing tour of the park\u2019s myriad highlights, including lakes, a\u00a0waterfall\u00a0and vistas of the surrounding Tetons.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 14.2-mile round-trip trail to the remote alpine lake follows one of the most impressive canyons in the United States, flanked on either side by dramatic mountains: Teewinot, Owen, the Jaw and Rock of Ages. Just before the trail turns north, you’ll hit the booming 100-foot-tall Hidden Falls<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

As you continue, take in the views of the popular Jenny Lake and the surrounding Tetons from Inspiration Point. Keep an eye out for the elk and moose that call this region home, and guard your pack from marmots if you wander. Once you arrive at Lake Solitude (which remains icy well into the summer), you\u2019ll enjoy sweeping views of Teewinot Mountain, Mount Owen and Grand Teton. Pack plenty of layers. While heavenly on the best days, it can snow here any time of year\u2014and at this elevation, winter’s deep is but weeks away.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An essential summer experience? Hiking to an alpine lake. These five are in their prime. There are few more sublime pleasures than arriving at an alpine lake after a long day on the trail. A water’s-edge picnic, skipping stones and feeling the cool breeze off the water are all feathers in a hiker’s cap. With […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":19050,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[387],"tags":[942,707,1393,727],"internal-tag":[1678],"class_list":["post-18976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hike","tag-alpine","tag-hiking","tag-lakes","tag-latest-posts","internal-tag-pre-redirect-hiking"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/hike\/5-alpine-lakes-to-hike-to-right-now","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"5 Alpine Lakes to Hike to Right Now","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/5-alpine-lakes-to-hike-to-right-now","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/5-alpine-lakes-to-hike-to-right-now"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/08\/7000659_large_1421342162.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/08\/7000659_large_1421342162.jpg?fit=1600%2C728"},"articleSection":"Hike","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["alpine","hiking","lakes","latest posts"],"dateCreated":"2017-08-16T13:11:26Z","datePublished":"2017-08-16T13:11:26Z","dateModified":"2020-04-28T01:29:24Z"},"rendered":"