Left work early Friday for a quick overnight with the intent to hear some elks buglin'. The Ranger at White River said Palisades Lake was my best bet.
The hike in from Sunrise Point to Palisades was 3.5 miles of undulating up and down through subalpine terrain with a new lake every mile or so. A mile in I saw a black bear munching blueberries about 50 yards off trail.
Palisades Lake was low. There are 2 sites. I settled into #1. I was the only one there overnighting.
At around 10:00 the elk started bugling. I heard a half dozen or so throughout the night.
The weather was perfect. Sunny, no bugs, no smoke, chilly but not freezing overnight.
Blueberries are ripe! In the morning I picked a bunch for my oatmeal.
On my way out I took a side trip to Hidden Lake. It's a brawl getting up there but totally worth it, it's a very scenic lake.
As for wildlife, I saw the aforementioned bear, some grouse and a few Pika. I heard elk and saw evidence of goats (poop, fur, tracks).
Comments
So glad you got to hear them!
Posted by:
Loren Drummond on Sep 26, 2025 03:53 PM