Road: A very steep, narrow, and gravelly road. Although, pot holes were not bad and any car could make the drive. There are some very narrow areas for passing. Thankfully I didn’t have to figure out how that would work! Parking lot is very small- maybe 8-10 cars max. Like I said, the road is narrow but people still found spots to park along it. I arrived at the parking lot about 730am to a completely empty lot; however, there were a couple cars parked on the road, probably overnighters.
Trail: Do not let the first part of this trail deceive you! It is a nice little stroll through the forest, and then BAM! You’re hit with the ascent. Make sure to start early enough and pack enough water! At the junction for the lake, it is very clearly signed so you know which way to go. I first did Trapper’s Peak and passed 3 people total. Although the trail is unmaintained, it is very easy to follow. I used my hiking poles and hands to scramble up sections. There were definitely some dicey sections- not for kids or people afraid of heights! I noticed one hiker left their poles near the bottom to better scramble up the rocks. I was grateful I had kept my poles with me as they are helpful for balance on the way down. It feels like a never ending climb as you go up and just when you think you are finally there, NOPE, you’ve got another climb! Keep going though as the views are worth it! Note- this is almost entirely exposed and VERY steep- wouldn’t recommend in the heat of the day! After coming down (which took a fraction of the time going up), I decided I needed a dip in the lake and was surprised by the ruggedness of this trail! The trail to Thornton Lake may be as “unmaintained” as the trail up Trapper’s Peak! There were very steep and narrow sections, that I literally had to crawl down parts for fear of falling. But the work paid off when I had the whole lake to myself and took a refreshing dip in while my sweat drenched clothes dried on the large boulders. Lots of blueberries along the side of the trail and bugs were hardly noticeable!
People: I passed about 30 people who were huffing and puffing up the trail as I was coming down. Maybe 30-40% had face coverings. Made it back to the trailhead about 2pm to a completely full lot and people parked along the road.
Happy Trails!
More photos @jac.of.all.trails
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