Palisades Lakes — Friday, Aug. 9, 2019

What a rare chance to enjoy a hike of mostly solitude in a national park! I arrived around 9:25am on a Friday morning. There was one larger group of hikers gearing up (likely for an overnight) and maybe 2-3 other cars in the lot. I hit the trail quickly and had 100% solitude as I headed in past Sunrise and Clover Lakes. Wild flower riots were set off here and there along the trail. As I set up the slightly narrower, steeper spur for Hidden Lake, the promise of continued solitude seemed certain... I was chopping cobwebs like it was a scene in an Indian Jones movie. :D Hidden Lake was an exceptional spot for an early lunch. The adjoining pond had fat tadpoles and periwinkles around its rim. After over a half hour there without another soul, I set back down towards the main path, encountering a solo hiker and a small group along the way. The solo hiker indicated that he’d had an hour to himself at Upper Palisades Lake before seeing another soul; he got an earlier start than me. I was short on time and didn’t make it to Upper Palisades. I did see a number of later hikers as I returned, mostly between Clover Lake and the trailhead. I broke my cardinal rule of not going uphill on the way out, but it was absolutely worth it. LOTS of fresh elk sign across the trail as it traveled through various meadows. I rarely repeat hikes, but I might try this one again at dawn or dusk to try and see more wildlife.