Widow Lake to Snag Lake Trail

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Features Commonly Backpacked · Geological Significance · Lake · River/Creek · Wildflowers · Wildlife

There is not much water from Widow Lake until one nears Jakey Lake, a 5 mile stretch, so make sure to carry enough water here.

Widow Lake to Snag Lake Trail is found in the fir forest at the south end of Butte Lake, at a well marked trail junction at the 2.3 mile mark along Butte Lake to Snag Lake Trail (East). Follow the arrows southeast here to run Widow Lake to Snag Lake Trail.

Widow Lake to Snag Lake Trail is entirely in fir forest so views are limited. The trail starts by climbing up to Widow Lake along the lake's outlet creek, a seasonal creek. This climb gets a bit steep and covered with deadfall as it nears Widow Lake. If you lose the trail, just keep going up to where it's rather obvious that Widow Lake should be. Along Widow Lake, the trail is obvious and easy to follow.

Leaving Widow Lake behind, Triangle Lake-Caribou Trail is soon reached at the 2.0 mile mark. Keep to the right and continue south here to stay on Widow Lake to Snag Lake Trail. For the next 2.7 miles the trail climbs gradually through the forest to Red Cinder Pass at 7,652 feet. In places the trail becomes a bit faint over this stretch - watch carefully for cut logs, yellow dot markers, and boot prints to make sure to stay on trail.

Red Cinder Pass is a forested, relatively long, flat pass between Red Cinder, 8,375 ft., to the east, and Red Cinder Cone, 8,008 ft., to the west. Unfortunately, one only gets glimpses of these two peaks through the trees of the forested Red Cinder Pass. It's not obvious why this area is named RED Cinder, as there is not much red, but there are some dark red rocks and one huge dark red boulder along the trail.

Descending the pass' south side there is a short steep stretch, and then the trail descends gradually to its end point. At about the 6.0 mile mark, the trail begins to pass several small lakes. The ground cover also becomes thicker as the trail drops. The largest of these lakes, Jakey Lake, is passed at the 7.5 mile mark. The round forested summit of Red Cinder can be seen across Jakey Lake near the lake's west end.

Widow Lake to Snag Lake Trail ends in the forest after 9.2 miles, at a trail junction with Juniper Lake to Snag Lake Trail.

Pretty fir forest. Bright green pinemat manzanita ground cover in areas, other areas are relatively bare of ground cover. Deer.