The real reason the trail to Upper Palisade Lake is so quiet

I did the North Fork Big Pine Creek loop in the Sierra last fall, and something clicked about halfway up. The main trail to the lower lakes was packed, maybe forty people passed me before noon. But the spur trail up to Upper Palisade Lake, which adds about 900 feet of gain, was empty. I sat up there for two hours and saw one other person. It wasn't that the view was worse, it was actually better. The thing is, the trail sign at the split just says 'Upper Lake' with no distance or time listed. I think most people see that and assume it's a huge extra climb for not much payoff, so they skip it. The guidebooks barely mention it. But that extra hour of walking gets you away from almost everyone. Has anyone else found a trail like that, where a small choice at a fork makes the whole difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

sam_harris683d ago

My buddy had the same thing happen up in the Cascades. He was hiking a popular loop and most of the crowd turned left at a junction for a waterfall. The right fork just said 'Ridge View' with no details. He went right and had this whole rocky bluff to himself for lunch, looking right at the mountain. Said it was maybe fifteen extra minutes of walking. The sign made it sound vague and not worth it, but it was the best part of his day.

miller.susan2d ago

I did that exact thing on the Mount Margaret Backcountry loop. The main trail to the lake was packed, but a side path just said "Overlook." Followed it for maybe ten minutes and found this quiet spot above the trees. Totally empty, best view of the whole hike. Those vague signs are the best kept secrets.