Are you loopy for lupine? Then you should go now! It’s lupine heaven. Clover Lake and Dick’s Lake are lovely. Upper Palisades Lake is pretty dried up. The highlight is the Palisades Range backdropping a wide meadow filled with lupine. There is really no reason to continue to Upper Palisades Lake unless you’re just curious about it.
The trail goes between steep wooded hillsides and wide open meadows. It has a lot of steep uphills, especially on the way back.
I saw a young buck, heard a combination of birds, and had a great pika encounter. Humans were a rarity on this beautiful weekday hike.
The trailhead is off the Sunrise Point parking lot. There are no bathrooms. Pack your tissues out should you use any.
Comments
mcguire_ep on Palisades Lakes
If one REALLY needs the backcountry potty, go left at the Upper Palisades CG sign, go through Camp 1 toward Camp 2, and go left right after crossing the gorgeously flowered creek. Continue up the hill a little ways, and you will find a throne. If you go left just before the throne, you use a boot path and can get up higher and get more cell signal!
Posted by:
mcguire_ep on Aug 07, 2025 06:55 PM