The lake has an average surface area of 806 acres (3.26 km 2), and an average volume of 40,530 acre feet (49,990,000 m 3). We hiked three miles in Friday night and camped Saturday night at wood lake before hiking out in the morning. There was a fire near Bear Lake that brought smoke into the skies on Wednesday. Early summer, after the snow melts, is arguably the best time for this hike since the lakes and creeks are at capacity. June 20, 2018. Did it in 4 days, 3 nights. We hiked from the Crabtree trailhead through Grouse Lake and made it all the way to Deer lake. This peaceful, alpine lake makes for a perfect one day getaway during the summer months and to escape the heat of the foothills. But prettier. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, nature trips, and backpacking and is best used from April until October. Permits are easily acquired at any of the Ranger Stations and up to 15 backpackers can be accommodated on a trek. Day 0: Travel to Trail Head. Not the ideal place for spending the night. Anglers often spend a week there, working around its long shoreline. I downloaded an offline map from maps.me that I preferred to using the AllTrails map. Tons of variety. Day 4 – Gem Lake to Crabtree Trailhead. Just got back. Bear cansare not required. Emigrant Wilderness Stanislaus National Forest Dates: May 26-29 Appx 30 Mile loop Tom Harrison Trail Map Temp: Night 28-35F Day 50-60F Crabtree trail head to Upper Buck loop Check in at ranger station around noon on Saturday as it started to drizzle. destinationisolation / July 25, 2013. Food . Horse Meadow looked cool. There is a peak between Gem and Jewelry Lake to climb to watch the best sunset of your life. On Monday, we hiked out the entire 12 miles back to the trailhead. I want to come back in the spring or early summer to see the flowers and running water. We camped at: Part 3. We cut through to Gem lake to get to Deer Lake. Suddenly, I saw a big trout come up for a bite. Loved it. Deer Lake is amazing and has some big rocks and an island in the middle of the lake. Also, the crossing at Wood Lake was too deep, so we had to hike an extra mile to get around. Crabtree Camp Trailhead is open from June to November but depending on the snow levels opening and closing dates vary. You will pass Camp like about 2 … One day we hiked up through Salt Lick Meadow to Wire Lakes and Long Lake. We went counter clockwise just to give us a shorter way out. We'll hike mostly on trail through classic Emigrant country past appropriately named Jewelry and Gem lakes and crossing Cherry and Piute Creeks. This trip idea belongs to Tal, and he is undisputably The Host; please direct all meaningful questions to him. Grouse Lake is small. Day 3 Grouse Lake (the least pretty (20 miles in) of the lakes, but the camping is quite lovely - get back up into the rocks to avoid the skeeters). This is a difficult out and back trail to Bear Lake in Emigrant Wilderness. The Hike: Piute Lake (Emigrant Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada mountains) Trailhead: Crabtree (In and out with lollipop loop) Duration: 3 days 2 nights Length: 16 miles (13 additional miles for the day hike) Elevation Gain: 1600 ft (1,100' additional gain for the day hike) The Pack: Osprey Exos 58 Sleep System: my favorite set up –… What an amazing place with great fishing and super nice spots to stop and camp. That was amazing!! From Crabtree Camp to Lily Pad Lake September 24, 2012 February 13, 2014 / Tara Taft With our 45-pound packs on our backs, we began our journey about 8:30 a.m. and set out on the Crabtree trail in the Stanislaus National Forest before entering the Emigrant Wilderness. We had Buck lake to ourselves and it was amazingly beautiful. Day 3 – Frasier Lakes to Gem Lake via Wood Lake. Crabtree Camp to Buck Lakes is a 25.3 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Pinecrest, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Very beautiful. All streams and creeks are dried up. Did this loop over the weekend! Lots of variety in views and terrain which kept it exciting the whole way. Wilderness Permit: A free permit can be picked up from the Pinecrest Summit Ranger Station which is only about 7 miles from the crabtree trailhead. This place is magical. You'll need a permit for this loop so make sure to stop by the Summit District Ranger Station in Pinecrest to pick yours up. Day 2 – High Emigrant Lake to Frasier Lakes, with perhaps the most stunning camp view you’ll ever see. On the way, we passed multiple lakes and about 6 people who were backpacking and one day hiker. Since no hikers had been out and back, they had little information about […] Day 1 Camp Lake (3 miles in) How to find us. Day 6: On our last night, we may choose to camp at Piute Meadow, or Lily Pad Lake or Grouse Lake. With easy walking distance are a number other great lakes. Details. Trail is a bit rocky, Granite Dome to Ridge Lake and Iceland Lake, Gianelli Trail to Chewing Gum Lake, Leopold Lake, Deer Lake and Gem Lake, Bear Lake and Grouse Lake via Emigrant Wilderness Loop, Aspen Meadow Road, Crabtree Camp and Buck Lakes Loop, Emigrant Wilderness and Sachse Monument Loop. Definitely a bit smoky, but for the most part this wasn’t a big deal. Tumtum: Home. Rounded granite domes, alpine meadows, cascading streams, and stately forests greet backpackers on the 14-mile journey to the lake. The South side of the loop is spectacular. The trail is super super easy to identify and follow, which is awesome. It would have been nice to stay one more night or go on a weekend where it wasn’t freezing. You will hike several miles on pure granite. Only one or two other groups at each lake each night but we started on a Monday. Emigrant Lake is a reservoir located 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Ashland, Oregon, at the southern end of the Rogue Valley. Camp Lake is a perfect resting spot half way in but before moving on to Bear Lake make sure and climb up to the top of the granite on the south side of the lake for magnificent views overlooking Pine Valley. Journals. Driving to the Sierra. Fall is a close second due to the color change of the wonderful aspens. Anyway, so warm overnight I didn't need my sleeping bag. People go off the trail to the south side. Bear Lake rests on Lily Creek just inside the Emigrant Wilderness. Also one rancher who was bringing in his cows. I sure was sore, but it was worth it. We hiked the trail clockwise, and it was excellent. Great trip. The hike out the next day (it is a loop) was mostly downhill. Very few people, I didn’t see anyone between emigrant lake and huckleberry lake. No matter when you come you will likely encounter quite a few backpackers due to the proximity to the Emigrant Wilderness. It was a pretty moderate hike. Backpacking in Emigrant Wilderness: Crabtree Camp to Gem Lake. Camping gear must be dropped off at the loading dock very early in the morning. We did the full loop and there were so many inclines, declines with boulders, large rocks and steep steps . I’d much rather hike down the south trail than up it, so I’d do the route clockwise if I went again. However, the mosquitoes are really bad! Not as rugged as some Sierra landscapes, this one was still appealing. This trail goes by Camp Lake and Crabtree Camp. Off the beaten path, including a road that turns into gravel and potholes (our VW Golf did fine at slow speeds and with proper road assessment to navigate the deeper holes) I did an overnight and after I set up my tent I did not go out During two planned layover days, we will have the opportunity to explore more remote areas, swim, or just relax. All of these are lovely, but if I do it again I'll push on to Jewelery Lake for the first night and maybe spend a night at Upper or Lower Buck Lakes instead of Wood. Although the trip is rated moderate, we will The Point RV Park, OPEN YEAR-ROUND, features 32 sites with full hookups, overlooking beautiful shoreline on the lake's north end. I loved it, just wish I would have been more prepared for how hard it would be. Crabtree Trail Head Bear Lake Big Lake Buck Lake Camp Lake Cow Meadow Lake Deer Lake ... My uncle talked for years about the trout in Huckleberry Lake, and I’ve always wanted to go there. Camping at Bear Lake, however, is limited to a single night. But where are all the people? Took 4 hours up and 3 hours down for this first-timer with a 30lb pack (including food and water). She's one of those athletic types, so we let her carry the stove and water filter to slow her down. Campsite elevation: 7,600 feet. We took the north trail out and made it to Jewelry Lake to camp Saturday night. 7.5 km blue singletrack trail. This peaceful, alpine lake makes for a perfect one day getaway during the summer months and to escape the heat of the foothills. Start and end at the Crabtree Trailhead. From Sonora, we turned east up Hwy 108, through Twain Harte and … Yes, get water when you can. Spent the first night at the trailhead, the Gem Lake, then Wood Lake. Day 2 Deer Lake, Northside ( 10 miles in) This was very strenuous and was made way slower by all the snow on the south trail. I haven’t adventured much off of Sonora Pass, so I immediately said yes! The trailhead at Crabtree Camp is easily accessible by most vehicles despite the three miles of forest service dirt road (4N26), which is maintained for passenger vehicles. We stayed there all three nights and did day hikes from there. Bugs were few, mainly in the meadows. Fall 2008: Emigrant Wilderness A Cross Country Ramble in the Emigrant Wilderness Part 1 - Crabtree to Boundary Lake . if you stop moving they will eat you a live. On Sunday, we hiked to Lower Buck Lake and camped. Crabtree Trailhead is serviced by a very affordable Aspen Meadow Pack Station The cost is $200 per person (maximum of 75 lbs. A ranger that I met on the trail the day before said that he’d heard anglers catch 25-inch trouts there. We were fortunate to have great weather and almost no mosquitos. I stood and watched the lake for a few minutes. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/crabtree-trail Dont miss it. We the walked along Cherry Creek (East Fork), for a bit, which was quite pretty, as shown here (35 seconds). Emigrant Lake is considered one of the premier destinations in the Emigrant Wilderness. The water was refreshing for a dip days 2 and 3! of gear, food, and drinks) for the “drop camp”. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, camping, and backpacking. Emigrant Lake is a local oasis nestled between the hills of Ashland and a great opportunity to get away from it all without having to go too far from home. Climbing. Emigrant Lake was much larger than any of the lakes I visited the day before. There was also a cold snap that weekend, so nighttime temperatures were freezing, bring layers. Nice hike this time of year. For the avid hiker, this might be considered "moderate". Long Way to Long Lake – Emigrant Wilderness: Stanislaus National Forest. All in all it was a great trip and I'll be back to venture further to Buck lakes and Emigrant lake in the future. This trip would start out at the Crabtree trailhead close to the site of my first outing of the FY08 backpacking season. :-) This trip, we decided to go in to Granite Lake, which is sort of off-trail, though not by huge amounts. I liked that we got to see so many lakes, 10 or so. Also: cows with loud bells. Overall, stunning scenery. Flight. Definitely could be done with one overnight! Photos. Gluttons for punishment, we went back to the Emigrant Wilderness again, this time with Nikki, Steph's friend, in tow. We detoured to Bear Lake first, which was pretty crowded. “That’s a lot of cars,” we both exclaimed simultaneously as we arrived at the Crabtree Trailhead. Elevation loss: 1,500 feet. The highlights of this hike are of course Bear Lake but also Camp Lake (about halfway in), gorgeous vistas and several lush meadows. Sugar Pine Railroad Grade (Strawberry Branch). Did this loop Sunday 8/16 through Wednesday 8/19. For true backpackers! Views are similar to Yosemite (afterall, it's just a bit north of the park - same Sierra's). Mosquitoes were definitely heavy but manageable, also watch out for the big biting ants. Beautiful place. You can enter Emigrant from Yosemtie (Boundary Lake), Hwy 108 (Crabtree, Gianelli Cabin, and Kennedy Meadows), or the Sonora Pass (Leavitt Peak). No mosquitos! There are trout at Jewelry Lake, Deer Lake, and the Buck Lakes, however, they are difficult to catch, easily spooked with a light bite. We started off at the Gianelli Cabin trailhead (elevation 8580’) behind the Pinecrest Ranger Station late Friday afternoon. Go clockwise. lly. July 26 & 27, 2008 - Emigrant Wilderness - Crabtree to Granite Lake Another attempt at a partial off-trail trip and in a place that is becoming very familiar....Emigrant Wilderness. Last 2 miles to get to Crabtree were gravel road but easily passable with my 17yo 2WD car! Happy Hiking! I’ve annotated every photo so please read the photo journal for a full description. Crabtree Camp has plentiful parking although can get busy during the summer vacation season. We drove out Friday night, camped at the trailhead, and started on the trail at 8 am Saturday morning. The crossing at the “dam” was a bit high, but you could still wade across. The hot, pulled pork sandwiches were delicious. No issues at night, either. This lake is easily approachable from Crabtree Camp. The Packer will transfer our camping gear and backpacks to a drop point near Gem Lake. As with Huckleberry and Twin Lake, no one else was present. It has an elevation of 2,241 feet (683 m) above sea level. At Emigrant Lake we were not allowed to have a fire, the first time for that. Lake choked with lilly pads and only a small area to access the water. In this case look out for rock stacks to lead the way. Sierra 2008. Exactly as described. It's about 10 miles by that route. Day 1 – Leavitt Lake to High Emigrant Lake over the volcanics of the Relief Peak Formation. Bear Lake sits just inside the Emigrant Wilderness nestled in a granite valley accompanied by a sea of conifers. Camped at Camp, Upper Buck and Grouse. Lots of obvious camp sites there. At 72-years of age, I finally got on one of those horses and rode 12 hours out to the lake. June 19, 2020. The rocky shore dropped deep into the lake and offered trout places to hide. Our plan was to hike the five-ish or so miles to Granite Lake. Kayaking. So more people. Although the elevation change is around 600 ft the trail undulates throughout the hike so the amount of climbing is a bit more, albeit easily done by most. Each site offers water, 50-amp electrical service, sewer, and 14' x 50' pads to accommodate larger RV's. Try out Jewelry Lake and Wood Lake to camp. Elevation gain: 1,200 feet. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, nature trips, and backpacking and is best used from April until October. A buddy and I hiked most of this loop August 27 - 30. The Gem Lake Loop is located in Emigrant Wilderness, which borders Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park, and offers incredible views, smaller crowds, and diverse terrain. At the junction to Horse Meadow we met a single woman hiker who was from Oakland, as is Jennifer. Did this as an overnight with my dog 09/26-09/17/2020. From Crabtree trail head to Bear Lake in the Emigrant Wilderness Area, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California. This trip started over a year ago, Spring of 2007, when I invited Liz to come hiking in the Sierra. Most backpackers take two days to make the 13-mile hike from the Kennedy Meadows trailhead to Emigrant Lake deep in the Emigrant Wilderness. The reflection of light at sunset on the granite mountains is really magical as the mountains turn pink and gold. I barely made it through each days and was so wiped out every day it was difficult to enjoy the beauty of the trail. Crabtree Camp to Buck Lakes is a 40.7 kilometer moderately trafficked loop trail located near Pinecrest, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. You can camp there. It is there, but with the heat, it is not abundant. Ariend and I hiked this one week ago over 4 days, starting late Friday (around 6:30). Deer Lake rests deep in the Emigrant Wilderness amidst dozens of other lakes, each one as scenic and inviting as the next. Today just brief notes on our trip… We left El Dorado Hills around 9 am, heading south on Hwy 49 towards Sonora. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Over the 4th of July weekend, my friend Blair invited me out on a girls’ only trip out to Granite Lake in Emigrant Wilderness. The TripOur journey starts at the Crabtree Trailhead and climbs through forests to reach the high country, where we will find sparsely vegetated granitic valleys and lush meadows. We will camp near pristine alpine lakes. Plenty of lakes to grab water from, though in mid-day, the heat got to me and I ended up without water on an incline. Bear Lake sits just inside the Emigrant Wilderness nestled in a granite valley accompanied by a sea of conifers. The trail is in good condition and the snow has melted. The trail this time of year is doable and open. Along the way, we stopped for lunch and to pick up crickets at a gas & bait shop near Angels Camp. Gem Lake via Crabtree Trailhead is a 17.7 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Pinecrest, California that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Check out other trails in the Emigrant Wilderness Area. Admittedly Grouse was a bit subpar for the area. The trail to Bear Lake is easy to follow and all the intersections are well marked, however, various parts of the trail traverse over granite caps which make it easy to lose sight of the main trail. Almost no mosquitos! Crabtree (Emigrant Lake) hiking trail in Tuolumne County, California. The hike is definitely buggy, but with magic bug repellent lotion (Ultrathon) and mosquito nets for our faces, we were fine. Only a few bites at Grouse but didn't even break out the Deet. The lakes on the way are all pretty great and makes for a great hike with lots of little stops at lakes on your way. There are several areas where the trail is rocky and easy to lose, just keep an eye on your map. For the hardly athletic, out of shape, older folks, this loop is quite challenging. The trail runs along the north side. There were mosquitos too, but not so many above 8k ft yet. Day 4 we hiked the final 5 miles and drove home This is definitely much harder than I imagined! Pinecrest, CA. Crabtree TH to Bear Lake. We hiked the full loop. There wasn’t water between wood lake (the one after lower buck lake) and grouse lake (6ish miles) so plan to pack water accordingly! This peaceful little lake makes a great early season hike as well as an easy trek for those wishing to get away for the weekend without spending all day on the trail. Definitely will be back to do a longer loop. the North side has plenty of shade and the terrain is lovely and changes as you hike. High 80, low 47. The hike is about 9 miles round trip. Beautiful 25 mile loop with plenty of options to set up a base camp and do day hikes. You ... An alternative - and to some backpackers' minds an easier - route to Deer Lake is to begin at Crabtree Camp and head out past Camp Lake, Piute Lake, Gem Lake, and then on to Deer Lake. Water is not as frequent, though it shouldn't be an issue to fill up in the morning, at lunch, then finally at camp. Backpacking in the Emigrant Wilderness! Check with the Summit Ranger District for area status before visiting. Distance: 5 miles. Part 2. If you should seek other waters, nearby Emigrant Lake should be just what you were looking for. There were some beautiful lakes that popped up and I only ran into a single rancher the entire way back until I was about a mile to the trailhead. Part 1. Length 17.7 mi Elevation gain 3264 ft Route type Out & back. Buck Lakes are tucked away deep in the Emigrant Wilderness, with 20 other lakes within a three mile radius. No arrangement required and there’s no quota. 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