The combination of sprawling meadows, few trails, and virgin forest for cover makes the Palisades Lakes basin a haven for wildlife. This trail is the only one in the vast area between Huckleberry Creek and the White River, and it dead-ends at the lakes' basin. As a result, this wild high country gets relatively few human visitors. The broad wildflower meadows that blanket the upper flanks of the Sourdough Mountains (from Dege Peak to Slide Mountain) attract deer, elk, and mountain goats. During one late September visit, my intrepid hiking companion and I found ourselves enjoying a spectacular sunset with views of the alpenglow on the Palisades--a tall band of cliffs above Palisades Lakes. As the orange glow faded on the rock wall, the haunting call of bull elk in the midst of their rut--mating season--echoed across the meadows. Soon, no fewer than six bulls were bugling their challenges, converging onto our evening retreat. Fortunately, the big males noticed that the band of cow elk had moved off to the west, and the amorous bulls veered that way before challenging each other in a clash of wills, each seeking the right to mate. Even without the elk encounter, however, the hike was memorable for the incredible scenery at the lakes.

From the parking lot, cross the road near the apex of the hairpin turn to find the trailhead on the north side of the roadway. The trail descends through some gentle switchbacks for 0.5 mile to a trail junction. Go right and follow the path as it meanders through stands of forests, small forest glades, and broad alpine meadows.

At 1.5 miles, the trail skirts the shore of Clover Lake (a fine place to turn back for those wanting a shorter hike). The trail continues north around a small rocky spine and rolls out into a wet hillside awash in wildflowers. The water that seeps out of the hillside keeps a wide variety of flowers in bloom much of the summer. At 2.5 miles, the trail runs between the trio of lakes known as Tom, Dick, and Harry. There's a small campsite on the shore of Dick Lake.

The trail climbs from Dick Lake Camp, entering thicker stands of forest but still offering plenty of sun breaks for the next mile, where the trail enters the cirque of Upper Palisades Lake. The trail descends in 0.25 mile to the shores of the lake. Camping is available at Palisades Lakes--permits are required. Broad meadows run along the south and east sides of the lake basin. The tall wall of the Palisades towers to the west.