RICHMOND — This week’s hike, High Creek Lake, has a little bit of everything for those who like to wander in the woods! The trail is considered challenging for beginners and puts you more than 8,800 feet above sea level in the Mount Naomi Wilderness with a view of ragged cliffs and a glacial lake for the reward.
Fall colors are at peak or just past it this week in most high elevation locations. So make this weekend the time to get out and enjoy the colors! You are sure to see a show on display with fall colors and scenic mountain views at every turn with this hike.
High Creek Lake Trailhead Location: High Creek Canyon Road in Richmond
The trailhead is located about 8.5 miles east from Main Street in Richmond. It’s about a 20 minute drive up a washboard dirt road.
- Distance
10.2 miles (round-trip) 5 miles up to High Creek Lake. It can comfortably be hiked in about 6 hours. - Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced. But even if you aren’t very experienced with hiking, you can hike the first mile and turn around after getting a pretty view of the fall colors.
- Elevation Gain
About 3,000 foot elevation gain. There are a couple spots where you might want to stop to enjoy the view and catch your breath, but most of it is pretty gradual. - Embedded map
HIKE REVIEW:
The High Creek Lake Trail is roughly nearly 10.2 miles out-and-back with 3,000 feet of elevation gain and crosses South Fork High Creek several times. This hike is considered challenging and not a beginner hike. Plan on the hike lasting about five or six hours of hiking, that includes taking several breaks.
If you want to adapt the hike for different abilities, don’t think you need to hike all of it to get a good experience. You only need to hike all of it to see the lake. You can turn around at any time when you’ve gotten your fill of fall colors and amazing scenery. I’m willing to bet you will hike further than you thought you could after getting distracted in all the beauty.
As you begin the hike, the trail begins in a forested valley with quite a bit of shade. The trail is compacted dirt and wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side. Moving up the trail, it does become single-track and more overgrown with foliage in some spots, but is very gradual with plenty of spots to catch your breath and enjoy the view. There are several (at least 3) creek crossings in the first mile or two. About 4 miles up there is a small waterfall. After that the focus is on elevation gain. Some have better reinforcement logs to walk on than others, but you’ll want to have steady footing and go slow or hiking poles. They are not high above the water, but I wouldn’t recommend taking young children on this hike, unless you stop and turn around before the first stream crossing. As I mentioned at the beginning, the hike has something for most ages, and you can enjoy and see fall colors everywhere, so if at any point you feel like turning around after you’ve had your fill, go for it, it will still be a worthwhile experience and better than not getting out at all. It’s a little over 5 miles up to High Creek Lake.
Enjoy and get out there and take in some Cache Valley beauty this weekend!
Feedback welcome: If you have a hike you’d like me to review or recommendation to share with readers please email me at: cimaron@cvradio.com