Paynes Lake via Pacific Crest Trail

To start off, you're going to want to navigate to the Etna Summit Trailhead (5956 ft). There's a small parking lot off to the side and we did not need any passes for our overnight trip. Since the summit isn't the main destination for many people in this area, you'll want to follow the Pacific Crest Trail southbound toward Upper Ruffey Lake (6885 feet). It's a relatively easy walk with a steady ...

The Marble Mountains are part of the Klamaths, a biologically and geologically diverse range of peaks and ridges often overshadowed by its western neighbors in the Cascades. The Marble Rim is the signature feature of this subrange, a white wall of rock that glimmers in the sun. The nearby Sky High Lakes basin adds to the scenery, making this a great overnight trip, and perhaps an even better mu...

The Fen Trail around Kangaroo Lake is a beautiful secluded camping and hiking area in the Klamath Forest of Northern California. It connects to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), where you can hike up through Oregon and Washington to Canada, or south through to Yosemite.The trailhead starts at the Kangaroo Lake Campground, way up in the mountains. The trail is easy to follow, starting off going up ...

The trail is a bit rocky, so wear sturdy hiking boots or trail runners. While your elevation gain is only 800 total, you will travel upwards of 1,982ft in elevation given the ups and downs of the trail. At mile 1.75, there is a spring that feeds into a large meadow. At mile 3, there is another spring and the turnoff to the left for Stoddard Lake (the trail to the right takes you to Doe Lake). Y...

Grizzly Lake is in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. The lake is know for its brilliant waterfall flowing from the lake's surface straight off the side of a cliff and roughly 600 feet down to the meadow below. Grizzly lake is located in some of America's most amazing and remote alpine wilderness, including Thompson Peak, the highest peak in the Trinity Alps, which hoovers above Grizzly lake. Getti...

Hike through the most majestic and unforgettable mountain ranges, alpine terrains, glacier lakes outside of the Sierra Nevada in Northern California. Yes, it's a long drive there and a lengthy hike, but if you have any doubts about whether this is worth the effort, just go! I struggled with the same doubts about the trip, but could not be more thankful that I got to do this hike.This is a tradi...