Valley Lake Trail

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Features Commonly Backpacked · Lake · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Valley Lake Trail starts and ends along the CDT: Big Sandy to North Fork Lake (WY Sec. 13). Neither trail junction with the CDT mentions Valley Lake Trail, although there is a sign for the CDT at the Valley Lake Trail start shown in this description.

At the Valley Lake Trail start, look for a faint trail in the grass heading northeast, away from the CDT. This is Valley Lake Trail. Valley Lake Trail is a relatively flat trail until a small hill at the very end. Heading off into the grass, there are pretty stands of pines along the way, good for getting some shade from the bright sun up here. Valley Lake comes into view after only about a tenth of a mile. It is a pretty lake with an irregular shoreline, off to the right/east. The trail follows the west side of Valley Lake up to its northern end.

At Valley Lake's northern end, Valley Lake Trail rounds a rocky hill on the left/west, and bends northwest. Watch carefully here for a trail junction with the options to continue straight, or do a U-turn. Going straight puts one on a path to Victor Lake, not on Valley Lake Trail. To stay on Valley Lake Trail take the U-turn and start heading southeast. The trail crosses a wet area, and then runs along another rocky hill on the left/north, with the wet area to the right, and Valley Lake ahead.

Watching carefully, around the 0.9 mile mark, there is a little cairn on the left - this is the start of Europe Canyon Trail. Not much later, there is another rock pile on the left - this is an alternate start to Europe Canyon Trail. Neither Europe Canyon Trail start is signed.

Continuing on in the meadows, amid the trees and small hills, Valley Lake Trail rounds the north end of Valley Lake, crosses an inlet creek to the lake, and heads southeast to follow its east side now. Along the east side, the trail climbs through a rocky, rooty, very old burn area for a short ways.

At the 1.3 mile mark, Valley Lake Trail leaves Valley Lake behind. Still in rocky, grassy meadows, there are some small ponds to the left/east. And soon, a mystery trail appears from the right. It's the CDT, where Valley Lake Trail ends after 1.9 miles.

Rocky, grassy meadows dotted with patches of fir forest.