Walker Lake x 2
- Miles 8
Elevation Gain 542 Feet
Highest Elevation on Trail 7,942 Ft / Lowest Elevation 7,400
Total miles so far for the 54 for Dave pledge 28.2!
The drive up to the Sierra this trip was absolutely stunning with remnant storm clouds giving the Sierra one last drink of rain.
I always try to research the hike I am going to do. Read the hiking guides, look on Flickr and Google to see pictures gives me a feel for what the hike is going to be like. Walker lake actually has two trails to it. One that goes on the south side the other on the north side of the lake. The south trail starts high and descends down to the lake. The north that starts below the lake and comes up to it. The latter was the one I had chosen to do as it better positioned me to have the Sierra in the background.
The best laid plans sometimes go out the window in the field. The description of how to drive to the trail head was a little vague. When I saw a road sign for Walker Lake I just assumed it was for the north trail. The road took me to a campground with what looked like the trail leaving out the back of the campground. Well turns out I was doubly wrong. First, it was the south trail not the north. Second, the real trail hooked off to the right up a ridge. The wrong use path I did walk on was very pleasant and shaded by beautiful pine trees.
It was not for about a mile, after I walked up this steep ridge did I realize I was the wrong trail. Instead of being at water level I was actually about 1,000 above the lake. I was miffed because I had gotten up early to catch the morning light and hopefully glass like water to catch reflections. Looking down the water was perfectly still. I knew however the odds of it staying that way till I got there on the other trail was pretty slight.
Picture of looking down on walker.
Walked back to the car and drove the two or three miles to the other trail head. It is not really a trail head but a pull out on an access road that leads to a private group of cabins. You start by walking around the gate. The trail is 80% walking on a dirt access road. The first few miles are exposed with little shade. The views were pleasant but the delay in getting started put me in the warm sun. Then the road starts to run next to Walker Creek. Things get much more picturesque. The stream continually morphs from slow and rolling to these wonderful small cascades and then back again.
Farther along the trail Mt Lewis makes a wonderful backdrop.
Walker Lake has pristine waters and a marshy shoreline!
It was a very pleasant hike and one I will do again but this time start early on the correct trail!