Saddleback Lakes

"I would definitely recommend this trip to a friend."

This is a great hike, if you don't mind a little route-finding. Taking the boat shuttle to the end of Redfish Lake saves a couple of hours each way. The lakes themselves, and the surrounding peaks, are spectacular.

Photos: [Top] Lower Saddleback Lake with Elephant's Perch on the right; [Bottom] Middle Saddleback Lake with part of Decker Peak.

The turnoff from the main trail is a little hard to find. What the guidebooks don't tell you is that you cross two long plank crossings, then a short one, and come to a log crossing. Before this log crossing you'll see a tree on your left with a blaze. A cairn sometimes marks this turnoff, and the trail itself will be evident in late summer. Once you find the trail, and cross the creek, the way is fairly evident. There are rock cairns on the bare granite portions. It's easier to lose the trail coming down, because you get your momentum up and don't pay attention as closely.

None of the way is very difficult, except for the route-finding. There are some interesting parts, where the trail follows a granite cliff or crosses glacier-smoothed rock. It climbs steeply toward the end, as you approach the crossing of Saddleback Creek and the first of three beautiful lakes.

The lowest lake is small and pretty, but continue to the middle lake, the largest, for the best views. We did not continue around this lake to the upper lake. Instead, we had lunch with the chipmunks and I took a short swim. There's an easy place to get into and out of the water near the inlet of the lower lake. No matter how hot and sweaty the hike is, you won't be either after a brief dip.

Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. Any trail can become very dangerous in winter conditions. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions. Please read Terms of Use.

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