Independence and North Lakes — Friday, Jul. 4, 2025

Independence Lake is a gem of a hike! Loved our quick overnight trip there. The 0.6 mile trail goes up and down with a fair amount of climbing up root & rock steps. It made a very manageable trip in terms of mileage for our older dog and humans desiring a short backpack.
There is a small group camp area on the near side of the lake, and a large group camp area plus toilet on the far end.
Learning more about the hike at the Verlot Public Service Center was helpful, and the ranger mentioned there is snow on the way down to North Lake and snow travel expertise is recommended.
The road: it’s narrow with branches on the sides, fairly bumpy, and traverses the mountainside. Doable in a Subaru, with narrow passages when meeting another vehicle.
Happy hiking! Please continue to take care of these beautiful places - we extra appreciated how respectful and responsible all the fellow dog owners were on this trail the days we went.