Cliff Lake
Difficulty: Moderate
Trip Type: Multi-Day Backpacking / Day Hike
Distance: ~4.8 miles from starting trailhead / ~2.9 miles from Lady of the Lake
Elevation: 9,381 feet
Coordinates: 45.08604, -109.86330
Time: ~2.5 hours from starting trailhead
Access: Maintained trail for the majority of the hike, followed by a short off-trail creek crossing. Departs from the Lady of the Lake Trailhead.
Bugs: Minimal (little to no bugs)
Getting there
The multi-day backpacking route departs from the Lady of the Lake Trailhead. Please note that this is a thru-hike itinerary; our group dropped one vehicle off at the Beaten Path Trailhead first, then jumped in the truck and drove over to the Lady of the Lake Trailhead to begin hiking. This ensures a vehicle is waiting for pickup at the other side when you finish the trip.
The hike
If you are traveling straight from the vehicle turnaround, the route to Cliff Lake spans roughly 4.8 miles and involves almost 1,163 vertical feet of elevation gain. For hikers tracking sequentially along the trail, this destination sits about 2.9 miles past your last stop at Lady of the Lake.
After passing Lady of the Lake, you will take the lower fork at the trail split. Continue along the path for about 3.2 miles from the trailhead to reach a nice open field where Zimmer Creek and Star Creek meet. Although the National Geographic topographic map claims there is no trail heading up into the Sky Top drainage, an actual trail does exist.
The route turns up Sky Top Creek, where the trail becomes quite steep. Fortunately, the sound of the water roaring down through the canyon provides an excellent distraction from how tired you are. There are a couple of trail junctions along this stretch, so be very mindful of your route to avoid getting lost. The trail eventually cuts through a dense patch of willows where the footpath becomes tricky to find. You will need to locate a suitable spot to cross over the roaring creek, where you will pick up the visible trail on the opposite side to reach the shores of Cliff Lake.
Tips & safety
Navigation Warning: Watch out for misleading paths in this area. During our trek, we crossed paths with a lost tourist trying to find the Aero Lakes drainage who had gone completely off course; we had to give him the bad news and advise him to turn around. Keep your navigation instruments close at hand near the creek junctions.
Thru-Hike Logistics: Because this extended itinerary finishes at a completely different exit point, ensure your logistics are arranged with a shuttle vehicle waiting at the final trailhead before you set out.
Fishing: FWP and GNIS data listed for Brook Trout.
