Rattlesnake Creek to Papoose Lake

The first half of the Canyon Creek Drainage is one of the most popular destinations within the Trinity Alps, but the second half goes largely unexplored and uninhabited by sojourners. Four peaks – Thompson Peak, Wedding Cake, Mt. Hilton, and Sawtooth Peak – surround the basin and offer adventurers some spicy off-trail scrambling. The drainage opens into three lake basins, including the always-p...

This adventure begins at the Canyon Creek Lakes in the Trinity Alps wilderness. Park at the Canyon Creek Trailhead near Junction City and hike the well-maintained and easy-to-follow trail for 8 miles. Once you reach the Canyon Creek Lakes, your off-trail adventure officially begins. I’d recommend setting up camp for 1-2 nights as a base camp at the Upper Canyon Creek Lake, where you have the be...

Numerous starting points with over 550 miles of trail and easily 50+ different featured trails depending on length and what type of activity you are are looking for. One of the more popular trails, and rightfully so, is Canyon Creek Lakes Trail. This 16 mile roundtrip hike has an overall elevation gain of 2,600 feet but is still quite popular on the summer weekends. It can be done as a long day...

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...

The trail begins just past the Trinity Alps Resort, a private collection of cabins near Weaverville, CA. Hikers wanting an early start can spend the night at the Bridge Camp Campground, located next to the trailhead. The path starts out wide and level, following an old road to the wilderness boundary at Cherry Flat. From here, the trail gradually ascends, paralleling the Stuart Fork as it head...

Nestled in the heights of the Trinity Alps, this hike to Alpine Lake is not for the faint of heart. Before embarking on this adventure call the Weaverville Ranger station to check snow levels as well as the flow of the Stuart Fork River. If you are too early in the summer season the snowpack will be too low and the water crossing will be too dangerous. THERE IS NO BRIDGE TO CROSS. Pre Trip R...