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A nice trail from Grouse Ridge Campground to Round Lake.


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Map Key

9.8

Miles

15.8

KM

84%

Runnable

7,498' 2,285 m

High

5,436' 1,657 m

Low

2,165' 660 m

Up

1,754' 534 m

Down

8%

Avg Grade (4°)

30%

Max Grade (17°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Description

This trail heads from Eagle Lakes to Sawmill Lake winding through the Grouse Lakes area. At the north end, the trail crosses the spillway of the dam at Sawmill Lake, which may be impassable due to high water in Canyon Creek (in the spring and early summer).

Starting from Eagle Lakes, a footbridge takes you across Fordyce Creek, a rather large stream where fishing is often good when flows are not too high. From Fordyce Creek, the trail continues to climb through scattered timber, bush and rocky knolls to the junctions with the Spaulding Lake and Beyers Lakes Trails.

Continuing on from Eagle Lakes, you'll come to Grouse Ridge Road just south of the campground, and at this point you'll already have gained about 2000 feet in elevation. From the campground the trail continues north and views of the entire area are excellent - you can see Downey and Sanford Lakes to the east and Milk Lake lies just off the trail to the west. Follow the trail along Grouse Ridge and then around Milk Lake. Past Milk Lake, you'll come upon Round Lake which is a great camping or swimming spot! Fishing is good in all three of these lakes.

After about 2 miles of running through timber, you'll come across Middle Lake (which is sometimes so shallow its a meadow). Continuing north, you emerge from the timber at Shotgun Lake which is no longer a lake, but now a wet meadow or grassy pond. The trail then descends along a timbered slope to its endpoint at Sawmill Lake and the South Fork of Canyon Creek.

Contacts

Shared By:

Anina Middleton

Trail Ratings

  4.5 from 4 votes

#8056

Overall
  4.5 from 4 votes
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Trail Rankings

#692

in California

#8,056

Overall
4 Views Last Month
6,253 Since Jan 9, 2016
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult

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Photos

The rain finally cleared! On our way back from Five Lakes Basin. Sanford Lake/Grouse RDG/Tahoe N.F.
Feb 4, 2016 near Downiev…, CA
Round Lake
Jan 11, 2016 near Downiev…, CA
Milk Lake
Jan 11, 2016 near Downiev…, CA
Campsites along the way.
Jan 11, 2016 near Downiev…, CA
Grouse Ridge Trail.
Jan 11, 2016 near Downiev…, CA
Up the hill!
Jan 11, 2016 near Downiev…, CA

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