Independence and North Lakes — Sunday, Jul. 26, 2026

The road to the trailhead is 5 miles unpaved, there are a few bumps but any car would do fine making it there. The hike to Independence Lake is straightforward and great condition, beautiful little lake. I don’t recall seeing a sign at the turnoff to North Lake, when you get to the far side of Independence make sure to turn right. Beyond that the ascent up to the top of the pass is pretty steep, then a somewhat steep descent down to North Lake. There is one large downed tree you’ll need to crawl under. The upper portions of the trail are a bit overgrown so wear long pants if that bothers you, if there was recent rain you’ll get wet for sure. Very enjoyable experience on a lightly traveled trail. Routefinding not always immediately obvious but easy enough to track the way.