Lakes Trail #1578

Dogs Off-leash

Features Fishing · Lake · Swimming

Blowdown in the section of this trail that passes through the 2002 burn scar can make travel difficult, especially early in the suumer. The trail has usually seen some maintenance by late July or August.

The Forest Service says you can start the Lakes Trail #1578 from either the lower Lakes Trailhead or the higher Skimmerhorn Trailhead. In reality, the trail between the Lakes Trailhead and the Lakes Trail Connector is little used, poorly maintained, and hard to follow. Its usefulness largely disappeared when a forest road was constructed up to the Skimmerhorn Trailhead. These days everyone reaches the northwest end of the #1578 from the Skimmerhorn.

From the Skimmerhorn Trailhead, follow the Lakes Trail Connector for about 0.25 miles to a signed junction with the #1578. Veer left (southeast) here and climb through a burn scar from a 2002 fire for a mile to a signed junction with the Indian Trail #1573 and soon thereafter to an unsigned junction with the Acker Divide Trail #1437. The trail has now leveled-out and returned to the cover of an unburned forest. In less than 0.4 miles you'll reach Buckeye Lake, a popular destination along this trail. Side trails lead to a few campsites at the north end of the lake.

Continuing on from Buckeye Lake, the #1578 weaves through some rocks from the collapse of one side of Grasshopper Mountain thousands of years ago and you'll soon reaches Cliff Lake. This is another popular destination along this trail. Here a side trail leads to a huge campsite under trees on the west side of the lake.

From Cliff Lake, the trail climbs gently to the north to a junction with the Grasshopper Trail #1574. From here it continues northeast, crosses Gale Creek, and descends gently to end at a junction with the Fish Lake Trail #1570, 0.5 miles above Fish Lake.