Surveyor Lake

Dogs Leashed

Features Fishing · Lake · Swimming · Views · Wildflowers

This hike offers access to a beautiful and secluded alpine lake without needing to venture for miles on a trail. The trail itself is short with a steep section near the beginning and not many views other than those of the surrounding forest. At the end of the trail lies Surveyor Lake which is small, scenic and packed with hungry rainbow and cutthroat trout.

The route to Surveyor lake begins at an unmarked pulloff of Surveyor Creek Road. On the west side of the road you'll see a short, steep section of trail that heads up off the road and into the forest. While this section is a bit steep, there are some exposed tree roots that provide a good handhold for getting up into the forest. Once you are up onto the trail you'll follow it up a short but steep section before it more or less levels out a bit. The trail itself is generally easy to follow although it does have a few areas where it is a bit overgrown and fallen logs can be common. Enjoy the short and scenic hike through the forest before you quickly reach views of Surveyor Lake. Once you begin approaching the lake the views will open up to a scenic mountain lake basin. The trail itself ends somewhat abruptly at the lake and the surrounding vegetation does not provide a great way to explore more areas around the lake. Due to the short nature of this hike however, it would be a perfect place for someone who wanted to haul in a paddle board or other inflatable to explore more of the lake itself. Surveyor lake is packed with hungry rainbow and cutthroat trout that provide some fun fishing while enjoying the lake. Once you have spent time at the lake, return down the trail the same way you came up.