Due to the Bolt Creek Fire, this hike is currently inaccessible

It'll be easy, he said. I don't think this trail has see humans for quite sometime. It starts off wide with rolling rocky hills before you enter a dense, overgrown trail about a third of a mile in. As you ascend onward the trail path is literally obliterated by the tall, dense brush, blow down trees and obstacles. Others have left surveyor tape to mark the way but that too gets lost, like we did. We did get to the outlet water steam, tried to find the trail, circled back to the stream and followed it up to eventually find the lake. The mosquitos and biting flies were an annoyance for sure. We were able to eventually find the trail at the lake and found it easier to navigate down...but, the trail is difficult, muddy, swampy, slick roots and thick bushy overgrowth. My legs, arms and face are scraped up. FYI...I've been hiking and backpacking for 60 yrs so not a novice.

Don't let the mileage fool you, it's no walk in the park. The trail is quite overgrown since I was last there in 2015, has flagging tape in some places, but really they are in the more obviously places than not. Route finding skills are useful here as its a scramble at times.

The road has had many washouts in the last few years, lots of work done to it, but recommend something with some clearance for a couple spots, even to get to Elizabeth.

All in all with some good weather and a little bit of luck, we got up to the lake before the next squall blew in. Although the clouds were trying to intimidate all day, running up the mountain and pouring into the lake, the sun made an appearance for a fantastic and scenic day spent at Crater Lake. Lots of frogs, but no fish.

Drove up to day hike into Crater Lake. About 3.5 miles from the trailhead the road is impassable due to about 2.5’ of snow. If you had snowshoes you could make it but you would add about 7 miles round trip. I’ll try again later I. The year.

Blog version (disclaimers)

Quick-and-dirty version

Access: Lake Elizabeth
Round Trip: 6.5 miles
Elevation Range: 2840′-5576′
Gear: helmet
Dog-Friendly: no

Route

1. Hike Lake Elizabeth trail to the north end.
2. Leave the path and continue north to reach the boulder gully.
3. Go northeast at 4800', then bypass the cliffs at 5000' from the south.
4. Move northeast, then north, to reach the bouldered summit.
5. Go west on the ridgeline and reach Salmon Red in three-quarters of a mile.
6. Continue west to reach Red Mountain West in three-quarters of a mile.
7. Drop down to Crater Lake and pick up the trail from the outlet to head out.

Highlights

• Smoky views to Index Creek Valley and Money Creek Valely
• Views of Crosby Mountain, Mount Phelps, Mount Index, and other nearby high points
• Solitude

Lowlights

• Vine maple down by Lake Elizabeth
• Krummholz along the ridge crest