By:
Submission
Beautiful. Quiet. Serene. No luck fishing but had a great time two days in a row. Definitely need a 4 WD vehicle with clearance to get up there.
there is no shade, no toilet paper, and a plethora or dog poop everywhere.. you can tell forrest rangers don't visit. The tables are falling apart and even with the beware bear signs there aren't bear boxes for campers..
This Rocky Mountain adventure is very unique. Make sure you have a full tank of gas and the directions downloaded for off-line use before you embark on this bumpy road as there is no cell phone service and no services for gas or help for miles. We took this extreme gravel and boulder trail in a Honda Pilot but didn't need to use our 4-wheel drive. The road is very sketchy, luckily we saw vehicles and campers along the way to provide inspiration that if they could make it up, we could make it up there. Be prepared to take your time, the terrain is tough but gorgeous. Eventually once we reached one of the steeper parts of the road, about half a mile away from the reservoir, we decided to park and walk our dogs the rest of the way. Once you pass a closed gate to vehicles for the entrance to the Campgrounds and Reservoir entrance, you discover this crystal clear mountain lake. It's a recreational area for stand-up paddle boarding, inflatable boats and fishing but also has hiking trails and elevated views for hammock time if you hike prepared. We could have easily stayed in this beautiful location all day relaxing and exploring but everyone that goes up the mountain must go back down the mountain and the sketchy terrain is just as tricky and enduring on the way down to the flat, paved road. I'm glad we got to experience this site in early September while it was warm before the winter weather hit and potentially made the route to the reservoir impossible for us to reach and experience. It was definitely an experience of a lifetime!
