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Andi Hatch

We figured out that there is an easier route to Loch Leven. We have young kids and a dog and had heard that the Loch Leven trail is a hard one. We parked at the Salmon Lake trail head and hiked an easy mile or so to Salmon Lake. Found a beautiful campsite there and left our gear there and took day packs to Lower Loch Leven (an easy 1 mile) and went as far as the middle lake for great swimming. We were happy that we made this decision because Loch Leven was crowded (Labor Day weekend) and we were the only ones at Salmon. Still beautiful, maybe not as enticing to swim at, but gorgeous scenery and solitude was worth it. An easier hike and you can still access Loch Leven. We saw others with dogs that had come via the normal trail head at Loch Leven and some of them had bleeding paws.