New York
Georgia
California
Oregon
Washington
Idaho
Wyoming
Montana
Utah
Colorado
These suggestions are intended to be a general guide for those new to llama packing and with younger families. Obviously, it will be of use to many others as well. Some trails will be very easy; some will be harder. You will need to do your own research and make your own decisions based on your family, experience, and llamas.
I highly recommend that you always have current Forest Service maps of the area. It is also wise to contact the appropriate land management agency (USFS, BLM, or park department) for current trail and road conditions. You may want to choose another trailhead rather than fight log trucks with your stock trailer, for instance.
This article was compiled from responses to email requests sent out to many llama packers around the country. The suggestions that follow will become part of a trail database, which we will make available for the asking. If you have additional suggestions to add to our database, please send them in.(This was originally published in the April BCL.)
New YorkBrookfield Trail System
Viv Fulton
Here in New York we have wonderful opportunities to hike on the horse and snowmobile trails. The Brookfield Trail System is part of a 130 mile horse and snowmobile trail system traversing over 13,000 acres of State Forests in Southeastern Madison County - the central part of New York State.
The trails are wonderful - a combination of wide lanes, service roads, and wonderful bridges. The wide paths make it a very safe atmosphere to introduce a new llama to the world of public hiking. You need special permission to go off the trails and cross the streams, such as for the Pack Trial, so the typical hike is also most enjoyable for beginner levels of hikers as well - no problems with poor terrain and wet feet.
The trails are identified on a map and on the ground by signs and numbers. There is a variety of interesting terrain with many different plant and wildlife species. Horses and hikers use the trails a lot, so the llamas get a chance to learn to share with other users. As State Forest lands, there are a few regulations: For example, if you camp for more than three nights or in a group of ten or more people, you must have a permit. All organized events require a permit.
Permits are not hard to obtain - contact Division of Lands and Forests, Box 594, Sherburne, NY 13460 Call 607-674-4036 on weekdays, 8:00AM-4:00PM, for more information.
GeorgiaKurt Pihera
Here is a list of the trails in North Georgia that allow llamas. We have not been on all of them with llamas but have hiked most with packs some years ago. Our favorite is Hickory Creek with a camp at Bray Field. Llamas are allowed only where horses are allowed and on any forest service road. There are no long loop trails and there are few trails with two points of access.
Hickory Creek
Easy to moderate 8.6 miles from trailhead to trailhead. Well-marked trail with plenty of water. Excellent camping at Bray Field and along Hickory Creek. Highlights are the trout fishing and beautiful scenery along the Conasauga River. Bray Field is the old Bray Family homestead and has lots of room to stake out llamas. This trail is great for day hikes and overnighters.
Hickory Creek west approach: Take Hwy. 52 West out of Ellijay. At mile marker 8, take a right on Zion Hill Church Road. Go 5.5 miles and paved road ends. Take FS 90, swing to the right, for 1.7 miles to intersection with FS 68. Take a right. Go 3.6 miles to "T" intersection in Potato Patch Mt and take a left (stay on FS 68). Go 4 miles and take a right on FS 17. At 3.4 mile there is an intersection with FS 360, and the parking lot for Hickory Creek is on the right.
Beech Bottom
This is the easiest trail in North Georgia. 4. 0 miles to the Intersection with Jacks River. Llamas are allowed only to this point. Camping is limited, but the scenery along Jacks River for short llamaless hikes and fishing is worth it. Jacks River is one of the top trout streams in the country.
Beech Bottom trailhead: In Chatsworth take Hwy 411 north 13.4 miles from the intersection with Hwy 52. In Cisco, turn right on paved road (just before Cisco Baptist Church) - this is Old Hwy 2 and FS 16. Go 8.7 miles, stay to the right at the fork and pass Hopewell Church, going to the suspension bridge over Jacks River. Go 1 mile past the bridge on FS 16 and you enter Tennessee and FS 16 becomes FR 221. Take a sharp right onto FR 62 and go 4.5 miles to the parking lot above and to the left of the road.
Other trails in North Georgia that allow llamas are
Eau Cowpens
Hemptop
Hickory Ridge
Penitentiary Branch
Rice Camp Branch
All are listed in The Hiking Trails of North Georgia by Tim Homan
We have also found that Lake Guntersville State Park in Alabama has several nice day trip trails, and the park officials are very "llama friendly."
North Carolina has a much more open policy about using llamas on their trails, and we have been to several outside the Brevard area in the Pisgah National Forest. These are beautiful trails with different degrees of difficulty.
CaliforniaHarold Johnson
Northern California
Although the Cascade Range and the Sierra Nevadas to the south are more impressive in terms of elevation, the Trinity Alps rank as Northern California's "signature wilderness." The Klamath mountain range, which contain the Trinity Alps, is far older than either the Cascades or the Sierras, and accordingly, to me there has always seemed something more "finished" about the area. The Trinity Alps, with hundreds of alpine lakes, offer everything from easy day hikes to multiday loop trips. What follows are some easier trips that rank as good outings to "break into" the Trinity Alps experience. The best trail guide I've found covering the area is Best Hikes of the Trinity Alps, by Art Bernstein.
East Boulder Lake
A short (three-mile), easy hike with mild elevation gain. This would be a good jaunt for the first trip of the season. It's also a good trip for kids. The only slightly dicey part of the hike comes toward the end, when the trail crosses the dam at the north end of the lake. The glacial cirque that forms East Boulder Lake is notable for the high desert plant community that lives there at 6,700'. The Pacific Crest Trail runs nearby, and there are ample opportunities for exploring the surrounding area. When we visited the lake one July, grazing was ample. The introduced brook trout population there is said to be thriving. To get there, take I-5 to Highway 3 south of Yreka. Drive to the town of Callahan. Just past the Callahan Emporium, turn right. Proceed on 40N16, which turns into 40N17, as you follow the signs to the McKeen divide and East Boulder Lake (three miles to the divide, three more to the trailhead).
Trail Gulch Lake
Although we chose to hike to Trail Gulch Lake via South Coffee Creek, which makes for nearly a six mile walk, the Trail Gulch trailhead farther north cuts the hike down to just over three miles. This route does have some steep spots, but you'll only gain 1000' from the trailhead to the ten-acre lake, set at 6,400'. It's a beautiful setting, with the headwall of Deadman Peak rising above the south side of the lake to 7,600'. The lake is notable for having one of only two stands of quaking aspen in the Trinity Alps. Fishing for brook trout is said to be good, although I can't really vouch for that because I spent perhaps a grand total of fifteen minutes fishing on our last trip there (we had too much food already). You can visit nearby Long Gulch Lake and Fish Lake if you like. To get there, follow the directions described to East Boulder Lake to the town of Callahan. Turn right at Callahan and follow the paved road toward the town of Cecilville. Soon after passing the summit, take a left at the turnoff to Carter Meadows/Horse Camp. You'll end up on a gravel road which parallels the main road. Drive three miles to the Trail Gulch trailhead.
Deadfall Lakes
The Deadfalls are part of the Klamath Range and not really part of the Trinity Alps, but hey, why quibble? This is a great trip for kids and folks on their first backcountry outing. It's only a two-mile hike along a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail to the lakes with the elevation gain mild indeed. There are three lakes; 25-acre Middle Deadfall (7,300') is the most popular. If you're feeling the need for more of a workout, make the three-mile hike to the top of Mount Eddy. You'll climb 1,700' and enjoy a great view of Mount Shasta to the east. To get there, take the Edgewood exit from I-5 north of Weed. Turn west on Forest Road 17. Then drive about thirteen miles to the Deadfall Lakes parking area. The trail begins on the opposite side of the road from the parking area.
Trinity Country
Gerry SammonUnion Lake
There are many good hiking areas in the Trinity and Klamath mountains of Northern California. For folks just getting into packing, a good choice is Union Lake. The trailhead is off Coffee Creek road, which in turn is off of Hwy 3 in Trinity County. Coffee Creek road is paved for a few miles, then becomes improved dirt/gravel. The trailhead is about eleven miles up Coffee Creek road.
The trailhead is clearly marked on the left side of the road, and there is an adequate parking lot. The first quarter- to half-mile is an abandoned mining road that goes through a large boulder field. After this, the trail enters a mixed conifer forest and follows Union Creek. There are several small meadows and water is close by in the event that llamas or their leaders get tired before arrival at Union Lake. The last half mile to the lake is a bit of an elevation gain from the valley floor. There is a huge meadow, five or six campsites, and water.
The lake itself is not one of the most spectacular, but it is a very easy trip and a good place for llamas. This is a popular area for horse packers and llama packers. There are many side trips and day hikes from this area: Landers Lake, Foster Lake, and Dorleska mine. The distance is about 6.5 miles with an elevation gain of approximately 1,700'.
Trinity County is in far Northern California. The trailhead is about 2.5 hours from Redding on excellent mountain highways. A good book of the area is The Trinity Alps, a Hiking and Backpacking Guide, by Luther Linkhart, Wilderness Press, Berkeley, CA
OregonGwen Ingram
There is a wealth of hiking guide books that cover various portions of Oregon, so I'll leave out most of the "how to get there," "what you'll see" and "how's the fishing" stuff. This is also not a comprehensive list - you can glean many more ideas from the guidebooks. One terrific book that covers the entire state is Exploring Oregon's Wild Areas, by William Sullivan. This is not a trail guide book but instead gives an overview of nearly all of the state's roadless and wilderness areas and also lists applicable topo maps, directions, and contacts for each area.
Oregon Cascades
Most of the following trails, listed from north to south, are detailed in 100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades, by William Sullivan
Duffy and Santiam Lakes
Santiam and Duffy Lakes are both on the west side of the Mt Jefferson Wilderness and are good destinations for training trips. Both can be accessed from the Duffy Lake Trailhead. Duffy Lake (see February 1999 BCL) has more llama feed available and, because it is closer to the trailhead, can be a less-than-wilderness experience on popular weekends. Duffy Lake is 3.5 miles in with 800' elevation gain; Santiam Lake is another 1.2 miles and 340'.
Round Lake to Square Lake
This trail is on the southeast corner of the Mt Jefferson Wilderness. Round Lake is near the trailhead. An easy 2.2 mile/400' hike takes you past Long Lake (off the trail) to Square Lake and a trail junction from which you can dayhike another 1.4 miles/400' to Booth Lake (the camping is not as good there). Llama feed ranges from adequate to abundant.
Patjens Lakes
At the north end of the Mt Washington Wilderness, Patjens Lakes have abundant llama feed and an easy trail: 1.7 miles to the third lake with almost no elevation change. You can also make a six-mile/400' loop that includes the lakes.
Park and Red Meadows
On the east side of the Three Sisters Wilderness, and as you might imagine from the name, there's lots of llama grub; there's also adequate water from streams. Park Meadow is first, about five miles up the trail (700' gain), and a favorite spot of equestrians. Red Meadow, much more private and not entirely simple to find, is another half-mile north hike along the Scott Trail.
Horse Lake
Also on the east side of the Three Sisters Wilderness. Horse Lake is a 3.3 mile, 600' hike, but it can be turned into an 8.8 mile loop. It's at the northern edge of the Three Sisters' famous mosquito country, so adequate repellent or good seasonal timing is essential. Plenty of llama feed.
Reserve Meadow
This quiet meadow in the east portion of the Three Sisters is not a popular destination because it doesn't have a lake. But in exchange for foregoing the lake, you can expect solitude and numerous wildlife viewing opportunities, including elk. Reserve Meadow is an easy, 5.6 mile, 500' gain hike from the trailhead on Hwy 46. There's plenty of grazing, of course, and a small streamlet that crosses the trail near the northeast end of the meadow provides water.
Salmon Lake
The hike from the trailhead on the west side of the Waldo Lake Wilderness is easy and just under 3 miles/500'. There's decent forage available, but also many rhododendrons to watch out for. (See February 1999 BCL.)
Waldo Lake
The area around Waldo Lake abounds with easy, enjoyable hiking. The significant drawback is that it also abounds with rhododendrons. The area has a reputation in the mosquito department, too. Llama feed is primarily huckleberry, whortleberry, and the less palatable salal in most locations, so you'll have to monitor your packers carefully lest they try to grab a toxic mouthful to complement their other choices.
Eddeeleo Lakes (4.6 miles/700'), the Erma Bells (see elsewhere this issue and also February 1999 BCL), and part or all of the Waldo Lake Loop (particularly to South Waldo Shelter, 3.4 miles/0' - yep, that's a zero) are all fine beginner hikes. Bobby Lake is also a good destination, but with less llama feed and more humans - I hear that it has fish.
Diamond Peak Wilderness
Here's another area with a deserved reputation for serious mosquitoes! Marie Lake is badly overused and not recommended for that reason. Yoran Lake and nearby Karen Lake are 4.3 miles and 1100' up. Fawn Lake is only 2.7 miles and a 800' elevation gain; you can continue about 1.5 miles west from there to either Stag Lake (200') or Saddle Lake (400'). Llama feed is available, but not particularly abundant at all lakes mentioned.
Southern Oregon
Fish Lake
Located just inside the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness, Fish Lake is well-used because (how could you guess?) it's a popular fishing spot. Still, the longer trail up Lake Creek (3 miles/1,100') is a very enjoyable hike and a fine trip for green llamas. Families with impatient small children can choose the much shorter (and downhill) journey from the other trailhead farther up Road 2840. Your trip can be also expanded to Buckeye and Cliff Lakes, which I've not yet visited. Llama feed at Fish Lake is available but directly related to arriving early enough to pick out a premium campsite.
Mountain Lakes Wilderness
The Varney Creek Trail will take you first to Lake Como in about 5 miles and 1,000', and for the price of a 450' climb up the ridge, Lake Harriet is another 1.5 miles. You can also head southwest at the trail junction just before Lake Como to Eb and Zeb Lakes. Llama feed is typical for the area - present, but not abundant.
Eastern Oregon
Strawberry Wilderness
The trail to Little Strawberry Lake will take you up 1,200' in just under three miles to a small lake nestled in a steep glacial cirque with adequate llama forage (it appears abundant, but much of it is actually unpalatable wild onion). Slide Lake is 4.3 miles from the same trailhead and gains 1,800', although the climb is not particularly taxing for the most part - but it is probably worth mentioning that my childhood memory of Slide Lake is that it was fourteen miles in! Llama forage at Slide Lake is somewhat sparse, but the meadow below the lake is lush, and Slide Creek furnishes water to those who choose to camp there.
Northeast Oregon
Eagle Cap Wilderness
Stanlynn Daugherty
Bear Creek
Bear Creek, accessed from the Boundary Campground trailhead (pack stock allowed overnight in designated sites) 7 miles from the town of Wallowa, starts at around 4,000' elevation and gains elevation slowly over the first 10 miles. There's good fishing in Bear Creek there are lots of meadows for campsites every few miles. It is not heavily used past the first four or five miles. The scenery offers rugged basalt-walled canyons, great wildflowers early in the year, and regular elk and deer sightings.
Hurricane Creek
Hurricane Creek, accessed from the Hurricane Creek trailhead (primitive campsites nearby), begins at 5,000' and gains about 2,100' in the first 10 miles. Again, lots of campsites with good grazing every three miles or so. Excellent scenery, abundant water, fair to poor fishing in Hurricane Creek (too rapid) and also a popular trail, so don't expect solitude. Camping at the big meadow at the head of this valley makes for good day hiking access to the popular Lakes Basin area (the Lakes Basin is not a good overnight camping area with stock).
A good trail guide for the Eagle Cap Wilderness is Hiking Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness, by Fred Barstad and Malfred I. Barstad. Be sure to know your potentially poisonous plants, especially Labrador Tea and False Helebore, when traveling in this area.
Richard W. Galloway
Eagle Creek Trail
The main Eagle Creek trail (1921) in the Eagle Cap Wilderness has to be one of the premier family hiking trails in the area. It is an easy to moderate trail with bridges over the main creek for the first half of the hike. There is one creek crossing a half-mile above the second bridge, so take your water shoes and a towel. It is not deep, but even in early fall it will make your feet ache from the cold. Between the second bridge and the creek is a trail (1937) to Bench Canyon and Heart Lake. This trail is not for the family: It's steep and has lots of switchbacks.
At mile four there is a big meadow on the creek with lots of camping areas. This is also the junction of the trails to Looking Glass Lake, (1921) Culver Lake and Bear Lake (1921A). All are beautiful lakes in their own right. You will have to wade the main Eagle here; expect depths of one to 1.5 feet. Again, the chill will make you think that it's only liquid because it's moving so fast!
Approximately two miles up the main trail you will come to Eagle Lake, which is stocked with Rainbow trout and thus offers some of the best fishing available. Access is easy, but the camping area is too small for animals. Sparse grass means that later in the season a better choice is to make this a day trip from the meadow below.
Another trail, to Cache Lake (1922) forks off the main Eagle Lake trail (now 1931) in the corner of a switchback, so be sure to watch carefully or you may end up in the wrong place.
This trail, like most in the Eagle Caps, is not passable for family trips until late June to early July, depending on the year. Views are of high snowcapped peaks, steep slopes with ribbons of colored lava flows, and several waterfalls.
Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness
Gwen Ingram
Wenaha River
With the Eagle Cap Wilderness nearby, the Wenaha-Tucannon is virtually ignored. From the Three Forks Trailhead near Troy, you can take a trip of any distance that suits you and have abundant grazing almost everywhere. Trails ramble along the Wenaha River for 31.3 miles with very gradual grades. Prepare for ticks in the spring, and remember your trail etiquette - you may meet large equestrian groups at any time of the year.
Washington
The Olympics
Kit Niemann
Book - Olympic Mountains Trail Guide, by Robert Wood
Maps - Custom Correct by Little River Enterprises.
Elwha River Trail
The Elwha River Trail is a good easy trail but very popular. The trail is in Olympic National Park, just a few miles west of Port Angeles.
Elwha to Krause Bottom (for a day or more): Start at Whisky Bend trailhead (1,198'). Hike through beautiful second-growth fir to a spur trail that descends about 250' to Elk Overlook, which provides a vista across the Elwha River to a meadow where elk and black bear often graze. At 1.0 miles, the trail enters the "1977 Burn" (1,300'). At 1.8 miles is the historic Michael's Cabin (1,150'). The trail then drops down to visit Krause Bottom, the Elwha River, Goblins Gate, Rica Canyon and back to the trailhead. Total distance is about five miles.
Northwest Washington
Janet and Tom Boyhan
Skyline Divide
Premier stock trail in Whatcom County. Two fine wooded miles up to an immense meadow and breathtaking views of Mt Baker to the south. Continue two more miles along the ridge for closer views of Baker. Suitable for any level. You can't do better than this hike, but bring water after the snow pockets melt. Access: Mt Baker Hwy,
July Oct
Morovitz Meadow/Schreiber Meadow
The most spectacular place you can go on the south side of Mt. Baker - and it has it all. Two miles to the first meadow, and then it's wide open and glorious for as far as you want to go. We recommend one to two more miles just to see it all, so give yourself two nights camping. There is plenty of room for all. Park Butte Lookout is well maintained and you can watch mountain climbers without binoculars. Small children are commonplace in meadows. Access: North Cascades Hwy, late July to Oct.
Twisp Pass
The most beautiful pass in North Cascades National Park you can hike to with llamas. Great views on trail, but more glorious at the pass itself. Legal stock camping by a small lake on the pass if your tent is just outside of NCNP signs. You can dayhike two more miles above to cliffs of Stiletto Peak and the grandest views of all - many of the ice-clad beauties in NCNP - but leave llamas in camp. Shortest and most interesting approach is four miles from Twisp River road, July Oct.
Baker Lake East Bank Trail
Wonderful woodswalk, with little elevation change. Now completely rebuilt to the end of the lake with lakeside camping at intervals. Great views of Mt. Baker across the lake. Rare old growth on Noisy Creek, nine miles up the lake. Access: North of Concrete on North Cascades Hwy, year round.
Hart's Pass (north)
The glaciered mountainscapes are endless, and the first five miles are practically level - you start and stay high. Water is always available, camping is alpine meadow, and there's no lack of llama feed. Plenty of room for everyone. You're on the Pacific Crest Trail. Could there be anything more grand? The most challenging part is a one-half mile stretch on an otherwise very well-graveled access road that has a blind and narrow corner or two with a vertical drop. Don't be the driver if you are weak of heart. Access: East side of North Cascades highway, 30 miles east of Winthrop.
Also recommended:
Skyline Divide
Baker Pass
Baker Lake
Ross Lake
Southwest Washington
Noel McRae
There are several good guide books covering Washington state; any of the books by Ira Spring, published by The Mountaineers, are highly recommended. Try 100 Hikes in the South Cascades and Olympics for starters.
Killen Creek
Mount Adams has several great hikes, and Killen Creek is a popular location. There are good meadows for camping, and the scenery is mind-boggling because you are at the base of one huge volcanic mountain. You will be able to hike part of the Pacific Crest Trail as you explore around the area. This trail is about four miles of moderate climbing up to the high meadows. Camp west of the Pacific Crest if you want to have a campfire.
Packwood Lake
A steep, but good road right out of Packwood takes you to this popular destination. The trail is an easy four miles in to a very large lake just on the border of the Goat Rocks Wilderness. Motorbikes can take an old power road to the edge of the lake. The trail avoids them and is more scenic. Go halfway or all the way around the lake to camp for more privacy. There is little llama food available, so plan on taking some supplemental feed. Good fishing early in the year and great scenery on any clear day.
Big Crow Basin
This basin above Crystal Mountain is a great place, too. Lots of elk to see in this area. You'll start with a stiff two-mile climb up to the Pacific Crest Trail, but then the walking is easy all the rest of the way.
Sourdough Gap
This quite easy, but very popular hike is a good one for the family - just don't do it on a weekend. The Pacific Crest Trail goes north from Chinook Pass mostly on very easy trail, but it climbs some the last mile. Go in early August to get in on the flowers.
Dewey Lake
From the same parking spot as Sourdough Gap, go south on the PCT for a couple of miles and drop into a very nice lake. You can explore miles further to additional lakes. There's a good chance of seeing elk on some of the hillsides.
Sand and Dumbell Lakes
These two lakes are but a couple of easy miles up the PCT from White Pass. Fair fishing, but just nice country. Even better country with miles to explore lies a few miles farther north - Dumbell Lake and beyond. Because this is meadow country with lots of little lakes and ponds, I recommend waiting until the middle of August or September.
Indian Heaven
This small wilderness near Mt. Adams is loaded with pleasant exploration possibilities. The trails do climb a couple of miles up to the hundreds of meadows and many small lakes. Again, best after the middle of August. In September and early October the huckleberry bushes turn red and make many of the meadows look like rock gardens.
Lewis River
This very easy hike is best during the week. Mountain bikers love the trail, too, but they are seen mostly on the weekends. Start on the south end and hike two flat miles to the old adirondak and camp in that area. There are a few better and more private sites in the next couple of miles, but you may want to locate them for future use on a return trip.
Snowgrass Flats
For a taste of some of the northwest's best, put out the time and energy to go into this area of the Goat Rocks. It is spectacular. Again, weekends may find the parking lots filled and overflowing. There is a nice loop trip possible from Chambers Lake. This trail takes better conditioning than some of the above. It is worth it, however.
Idaho
Jay Rais
Loon Lake
A good early season hike that isn't very hard is to Loon Lake north of McCall. The topo is Loon Lake. Round trip is 10.4 miles with only 340' elevation gain. It's a pretty hike ,and the meadow before the lake has acres of good grass and campsites. Access is from the Warren Wagon Road to Burgdorf junction north of McCall.
Boulder Lake
A relatively easy hike is to Boulder Lake southeast of McCall off Highway 55 at Lakefork. The hike is four miles round trip with a 720' gain. It's pretty steady uphill with access to water at a few spots along the trail. There are lots of campsites at Boulder Lake. There are some great scenery shots as you climb up and cross the lake's outlet on huge slabs of granite. For a little longer hike, you can go another two miles in to Rapid Lake, another 260' elevation gain. The topo is Paddy Flat.
Seafoam Mountains
Another nice hike is into the Seafoam Mountains. The most accessible lakes are Langer, Island and Ruffneck Lakes. Roundtrip distance is only 5.4 miles, and the1280' elevation gain is mostly in the first 1.5 miles. The topos are Langer Peak and Capehorn Lakes. Access the area from Highway 21 between Lowman and Stanley. Parking can be very limited or even none, especially on weekends and especially for trailers, so plan accordingly. There are lots of good campsites and grazing areas at these lakes.
The best sources of information for Idaho hiking has been the set of books by Margaret Fuller, titled Trails of the Frank Church Wilderness, Trails of Western Idaho, and Trails of the Sawtooth and White Cloud Mountains. They are written with backpacking in mind but are easy to follow and still detailed enough to be quite helpful. They say nothing about fishing but are pretty good about the best and any available campsites. There are some excellent tips and hint sections too. She doesn't use topo maps for her illustrations - just pretty thorough hand-drawn ones - and she does list the topos needed for each hike. I'd certainly recommend them.
If anyone will be traveling to Idaho's backcountry and would like some more suggestions, please contact me or any of the other members of the WILA Packing Committee. Between us, we've covered a good part of the lakes in central and southern Idaho.Wyoming
Duane Ackerman
Fontenelle Lakes
This is a large basin with several small lakes, large meadows and aspen stands, accessed by an easy two- to three-mile hike with little elevation change. Great camping, scenery and solitude. From LaBarge, Wyoming, follow the LaBarge Creek road west for approximately 29 miles. Turn south at the sign for Scaler Guard Station. Upon reaching the fork for the guard station, stay left (do not turn into the station) and follow the road about two miles, gaining about 1,000' in elevation, to the trailhead. Good parking and a horse corral are about 200 yards past the trail. There's no guide book; use the USGS topo for Mount Thompson, Wyoming. The road past the guard station - a well-built oil rig road - is not on this map. A short day trip from camp up the trail to the top of Commisary Ridge is well worth the effort.
Upper Green River Lake, Wind River Range
A popular trail with stunning scenery and good fishing in the lakes and river. Best season is July through September. To reach the Green River Lakes trailhead, travel six miles east of Pinedale, Wyoming on U.S. 187/191. Turn north on Wyoming Highway 352. Follow this north for approximately 46 miles to the Green River Lakes campground and very nice trailhead facilities. The last 20 miles of this road is rough dirt. Follow the well maintained trail leading north out of the parking area and around the north side of lower, then upper Green River Lakes. A ford of Clear Creek is required at the upper end of the lower lake - cold and fast, but not too deep. It's about four miles with little elevation gain to the inlet of the upper lake. Find good camping well away from the river in small meadows and clearings just past the end of the lake. Recommended maximum is two llamas in this area.
This is the beginning of the Highline Trail, which follows the length of the Winds. Your trip can be extended to Beaver Park, a total of about eight miles. Just after entering the park, pass the horse ford and take the llamas across the new bridge. Continue southwest across a hugh meadow to find great camping. This makes a great base camp for the hike to the top of Squaretop (highly recommended). Guide book: Walking the Winds, by Rebecca Woods (trip #45); map: Earthwalk Press Hiking Map and Guide Northern Wind River Range.Utah
Uinta Mountains
Duane Ackerman
Lake Hessie
The trails to Lake Hessie are well maintained and accessible from mid-July through mid-October. The scenery is great, and nice camping helps make this destination a very reasonable overnighter. If the weather is right, it's also a great fall trip. The China Meadows Trailhead, a modern trailhead with complete facilities, is approximately 25 miles southwest of Mountain View, Wyoming.
Follow the East Fork trail about three miles to the junction with the North Slope trail. Turn left (east) and follow the North Slope trail as it climbs steadily for about two miles until you reach a very large meadow. Although not on the lake, this meadow has a number of great llama camping spots. As you enter this meadow, you will cross a small stream running through willows. About 100 yards past this stream, a trail branches right, first in the meadow and then through trees to Lake Hessie. Camping near the lake is possible, but feed is scarce and tieout space limited. The guidebook, High Uinta Trails, by Mel Davis and John Veranth covers the area, and Trails Illustrated's High Uintas Wilderness Trails offers an excellent overview map, good for most trail hiking in this range.
Southeast Utah
Gwen Ingram
Escalante River Canyons
Relatively easy, idyllic spring and fall hiking in the lower canyons is countered by range cattle, some areas of sparse llama feed, quicksand, rattlesnakes and scorpions, no water in the upper reaches of the canyons, and dangerous flash flooding during summer. These factors do not make the area conducive to hiking with young children, although careful, desert- and outdoor-wise parents should be able to address these issues. Trips that would be otherwise inappropriate for young children, such as those that require initially hiking down a sandy wash, can be made possible with trustworthy riding llamas.
The numerous negatives are probably the best thing in the area's favor: If it were any easier to get to, it would be unbearably crowded. Even so, there are so many hikers and backpackers now that waste disposal (human and animal) has become a pressing issue - one that llama packers will need to be sentitive to.
Prepare to walk first on loose sand and then in the water (old tennis shoes, NOT rafting sandals!), and please leave at home any llamas who can't "hold it" when they get wet feet. Select trails suitable for your hiking party from a guide book (such as Hiking the Escalante, Rudy Lambrechtse).
The Escalante Canyons, now part of the new Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument, continues to be managed jointly by the BLM, USFS, and Glen Canyon NP. Permits and information can be obtained in Escalante; permits are also self-issuing at the trailheads.
There are numerous trailheads (some accessed only by vehicle-eating roads), but no trails per se. Having topo maps or the guide book is important; close attention to landmarks is essential (I've gotten lost twice when returning despite the simplicity of following the only llama tracks).
Red Canyon
For those frustrated by the "no animals on the trails" policy of nearby Bryce Canyon NP, Red Canyon offers a taste of what you're missing: hiking among and around red sandstone hoodoos. Not a large area, but with enough trail to turn your jaunt into an overnighter, and terrain suitable for beginner llamas and young family members. Taking some supplemental (weed-free) feed and the fewest llamas you can get by with would be appropriate measures to take in deference to the fragility of the desert vegetation. The area is dry, even in the spring - bring all the water you expect to need. Stop at the ranger station (near the trailhead) to pick up a trail map.Montana
Jack Parker
There are many very nice hikes suitable for llamas all over Montana and, for the most part, they are less crowded than in other NW areas.
There are several "major" and well known areas in Montana that attract the majority of the outdoor enthusiasts, but there are many equally nice, smaller areas that are pristine and less well known. Four books that I would recommend for Montana are:
· The Hikers Guide to Montana by Bill Schneider Falcon Press, Helena MT 1990
· The Trail Guide to Bob Marshall Country by Erik Molvar, Falcon Press 1994
· The Trail Guide to the Beartooths by Bill Schneider, Falcon Press 1995
· Wild Montana by Bill Cunningham, Falcon Press 1995
Monture Creek/Danaher Basin, Bob Marshall Wilderness
This hike was described in the December 1995 BCL. The southern part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness is easily accessed at the Monture Creek Campground trailhead (north of Lincoln) ,which is somewhat less crowded than other entrances. There are many opportunities to plan interesting loops of varying difficulty from this trailhead. None of this area has any unusual hazards, and, for the most part, the trails are well-marked and in good condition if they are used by horses. A good destination is the Danaher Basin area, reached by crossing over Hahn Pass or Limestone Pass (or other trails) and crossing the wide, but shallow Danaher Creek. Beware of the marshy areas indicated on topo maps as they are likely dangerous muddy bogs. Danaher Basin is a long valley with several miles of good camping areas and pastures and affords several interesting day hikes possibilities. Fishing in the area can be quite good. Another trailhead for accessing the Danaher Basin area from the south is The North Fork Trailhead, east of Monture. This leads to the Dry Fork Flathead Divide and then north to Danaher.
Great Bear Wilderness
Access for this hike is from Highway 2 circling the southern half of Glacier National Park either via Devil Creek Campground or a few miles west at the Middle Fork Flathead River, Rt. 2, junction (trail 155). The second access leads to a very steep trail directly up to the beautiful Tranquil Basin, or continues to follow the river, bordered with lodgepole blowdown, to a FS camp. The second day is a long, dry climb with good scenery to a high, beautiful area with a lot of loop opportunities, good trails, and good campsites. Lakes in this area are Tranquil Basin Lakes, Elk Lake, and Moose Lake.
Scapegoat Wilderness
Halfmoon Park hike is a good alternative hike for those wishing to see to see something akin to the well-known Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, but who also want to stay away from the crowds. Halfmoon Park can be reached from the easier, but further, Benchmark campground or by the FS #215 Smith Creek Road trailhead and to Welcome Pass and up Dearborn Creek. This is a light- to moderate-use area offering spectacular views of the Scapegoat Mountain Wall and its sheer cliffs. The huge Canyon Creek Fire in 1988 burned a lot of this area, but it has now come back into some of the most spectacular wildlife flower displays and lush grasses one can see anywhere. Trails are well-maintained and there are several opportunities for day hikes or loops. This area opens a little earlier in the summer than some of the higher, more snow-prone areas. There is no fishing in the Halfmoon Basin area, but fishing can be good in the lower creeks.
Continental Divide Trail, Beaverhead NF
Access begins at Miner Lake campground, southwest of Wisdom, MT. Parking is available at the campground with a two-mile walk to the trailhead, or access can carefully be made driving a narrow primitive road that is passable, but narrow and rough in portions. Ask the campground hosts or FS at Wisdom for advice on road conditions. This is not a wilderness area, so there might be bicycles or motorbikes at the beginning of the hike. From the trailhead gate, it is less than three miles to Rock Island lake, where there is excellent fishing and about three good campsites. Even in early July there may be snow in the area around the lakes and together with the wet ground, mosquitoes might be bad.
We found that all of the main trails were fairly well-marked and in fair to good shape, and that none of the area has any hazards of consequence. The exception might be the route over from Rock Island Lake across a 9200' pass and down to Little Lake, a two-mile hike, which has a steep descent to the lake and is impassable with stock if snow is still on the north-facing side.
The nice aspect of this general area is that there are several other lakes within an easy day hike from Rock Island Lake. The fishing can be very good at all of these lakes. North from Rock Island Lake is Little Lake with good campsites. Upper Miner Lake is reached by taking a south leading side trail about a 3/4 mile from the trailhead and walking another three miles. Campsites are hard to find for stock; the best area is at the far end of the second lake. Another lake, that we have not visited, is Ridge Lake. Turn south about 1/4 mile farther past the trail to Upper Miner Lake and hike about one and a half miles to the lake.Colorado
Continental Divide Scenic Trail
Mary Mauz
The Continental Divide Scenic Trail has many sections that can be done in an overnight trip. One we like for an easy two- or three-day hike is out of a ghost town called Winfield, located off highway 24 between Buena Vista and Leadville Colorado.
Turn up Clear Creek Reservoir road and travel twelve miles on a gravel road. A nice side stop is the ghost town of Vicksburg, at a distance of eight miles, with privately owned homes and a little museum that gives you a sense of the old mining community and its history. On reaching Winfield, turn left, cross Clear Creek and park in the vicinity at one of several wide places in the road - the last two miles to the wilderness boundary are not kind to trailers.
Follow this main road to the boundary of the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness and follow the obvious trail up the valley. The trail crosses a new bridge, but there is a stock crossing just before that is safer for the llamas.
Now you can climb toward Lake Ann, which lies below "The Three Apostles," peaks on the Divide, or you can cut to the right and climb to Harrison Flat, again below the Divide. This area near a high lake and several shallow tarns provides nice day hikes. Flowers proliferate and we rarely miss seeing deer in the willows at dusk, hearing a coyote serenade at night or hearing elk passing near our tents. The hiking distance to either place is five miles from Winfield, with an elevation gain of about 1,100'.
Guides for the Continental Divide Scenic Trail and the Colorado Trail are available at mountaineering stores.
Hikes from Caribou Townsite
Gwen Ingram
Caribou townsite is the remains of two mines and an old mining town west of Nederland. The area immediately around the townsite is heavily used and abused, but fortunately, few of the local partiers venture past the de facto parking area. There are no signed trails, but jeep trails and unmarked trails abound, so with the help of a topo map (Nederland 7.5), the area is easily explored.
Heading north or west to ramble in Caribou Park is easy walking. The area is frequented by beaver, deer and ptarmigan, and dotted with secluded hidden ponds. There are also mining relics (sometimes interesting, sometimes just a nice way of saying "old trash"). Continuing north down Caribou Creek will lead you to Windy Gap and, if you look carefully, a picturesque pond for a great campsite. Further north you will run into the south end of the Indian Peaks Wilderness; if you chose to enter, you will need a permit, but there's plenty of room to explore without doing so. Although the area is not truly large, it offers a number of suitable camping and exploration areas for green llamas and young hikers.
To the south is Caribou Flat; to the west is Bald Mountain. The latter entails some serious elevation gain; the former does require some uphill walking at the beginning, but is not particularly taxing. Continuing south will eventually lead you to the town of Eldora. Hiking over the top of Bald Mountain will put you into the Boulder City Watershed - one big, illegal no-no!
Llama feed is abundant, as is water (but be sure to filter). Wind is downright abundant most of the time. Particularly on weekends, you may have to put up with a few ORVs and four-wheelers along the jeep trails, especially on Caribou Flat. The entire area is fairly exposed and ranges from 10,000' to 10,200' (11,340' for Bald Mountain), so be sure to have adequate foul-weather gear in case the storms.