Caribou Lakes

Region: Trinity Alps
Distance: 16 miles
Elevation: 4,900 - 7,200 ft
Vegetation: Pine Forest
Last Visit: Late June 2019

Dawn over the Klamath National Forest from the overlook over Lower Caribou Lake.

The Caribou Lakes are yet another cluster of beautiful alpine lakes in the Trinity Alps.  The lakes are situated on the northern side of the core peaks of the the Trinity Alps.  From the north there are two access trails to the lakes that can be linked into a loop, though because of snow we were only able to take the lower, newer, Caribou Lakes Trail.  Later in the summer the older, steeper route over a minor side peak of Caribou mountain should offer some epic views of the region.  The lakes also make a good staging area to scramble along Sawtooth Ridge to the south, which also boasts famously great views. We tried to make it up to Sawtooth Ridge, but we were turned back by several feet of steep, barely-stable snow on the north side of the ridge that was just a little too dangerous for some humans and dogs on this trip.  In snow years less epic than 2019, this route will probably be snow free by the last weekend of June, when we visited, but in big snow years it appears waiting till mid-July is advisable to open up all the route options in this area.

Even without making either of the two nearby high points, the views on this hike were excellent.  The Caribou Lakes trail contours around Caribou Mountain along many steep, open hillsides looking out over the steep valley of the South Fork Salmon River below to the north, and the 1,000 foot cascade of the Caribou Creek as it drains from Lower Caribou Creek to the west.  The trail to Canyon Creek Lakes has more waterfalls, and the trailhead is easier to access, so that's probably still my recommendation for a first hike in the Trinity Alps.  But the quality, quantity, and variety of views on the Caribou Lakes Trail make it a strong contender for best hike in the region.  We did this hike as an overnight backpack, which is probably the optimal choice (especially if you want to get up Sawtooth Ridge), but a fit group with an early start could make it as a day hike.

Rules

This hike is in the Trinity Alps wilderness section of the Klamath National Forest. No permits or fees required for day hiking, but camping in the back country requires a free wilderness permit. Use of a campstove or building a campfire requires a campfire permit. Both can be obtained for free at the Weaverville Ranger Station. Dogs are allowed off-leash if under effective voice control.

Trailhead

Trailhead parking at Big Flat Campground

The Big Flat Trailhead at the the end of Coffee Creek Road.  Note that most of Coffee Creek Road is unpaved and the last 10 miles are a little rough.  We were able to navigate the road just fine in our Prius with some slow careful driving.  So a high clearance vehicle isn't required, but high clearance would make the drive a bit more relaxing.  The trailhead parking is a rough lot attached to the Big Flat Campground.  Some old Forest Service maps show the trailhead as separate site from the campground just to the north, that's incorrect.  That spur of road is a private resort.  The campground has a pit toilet, but no running water or garbage service.  It is a walk-up only campground with maybe a dozen sites.  It looked about half full the weekend we were there, but it may get busier later in the summer when the upper trails are completely melted out.  There are no fees for parking at this trailhead.

Route

CalTopo Map: https://caltopo.com/m/KSBH

We followed the Caribou Lakes Trail in and back out, but once all the snow is melted on the higher Old Caribou Trail, you could like the two to make a figure-eight loop.  Both trails are accessed first by crossing the South Fork Salmon River on an old log (or wading the stream).  The crossing was no trouble for us, but might be tricky if attempted a bit earlier in the season with more active snowmelt in the river valley. 

The Caribou lakes trail climbs steadily for the first few miles, with a few limited views of the South Fork Salmon River valley to the east.  Then the trail crosses a minor ridge (where it crosses the route of the Old Caribou Trail) and begins a long section of contouring around Caribou mountain with little climb or descent, which I don't think is captured quite right by my elevation profile below derived from tracing the Forest Service Map of the route. 

This part the trail was once in mature pine forest, but a fire in 2008 burned out all the large trees, which is a little sad, but the result is an extended section of trail with open views of rolling mountains to the north.  Around 5 miles into the hike, the trail passes a small meadow,  in the shadow of steep cliffs and begins climbing in earnest again up a well shaded hillside.  As the trail rounds a northern ridge of Caribou Mountain and turns south, the climb moderates a bit as it winds along a very steep, rocky slope and the views open up again as the trail tops out at a bit over 7,000 feet in elevation.  Here you are treated to excellent views of Mt. Ceasar and some of the highest portions of the Trinity Alps to the southwest, the bowl of the Caribou lakes and Snowslide lake, and the dramatic cascades of Caribou Creek as it leaves Lower Caribou Lake. 

The Caribou Lakes and Old Caribou trails meet up once again north of the lakes and descend to a rocky isthmus between Snowslide Lake and Lower Caribou Lake with many excellent camping sites.  The main trail then climbs a couple hundred feet again to Caribou Lake staying south east and well above the stream connecting the upper and lower lakes, but some maps show an alternative route that follows directly along the cascades between the lakes on the northwest side of the stream.

Elevation profiles for the Caribou Lakes Trail and Old Caribou Trail

Topographic map of the Old Caribou Trail and Caribou Lakes Trail

Crossing the South Fork Salmon River near the trailhead.  This was the only significant stream crossing on our route.

Black Mountain (I think) from on of the few viewpoints below the junction with the Old Caribou Trail.

The view opens up as you begin contouring around Caribou Mountain

A burned section on the north side of Caribou Mountain.

A peak at Mt Shasta in the distance.

The Caribou Lakes Trail crosses some open cliffs as it rounds the western side of Caribou Mountain.

Caribou Creek cascading below Lower Caribou Lake as seen from the Caribou Lakes Trail.

The view near the high point the high point on the Caribou Lakes trail.  Caesar peak dominates the view to the south west.

A view over Caribou Lake from just below Sawtooth Ridge at dawn.  This was as high as we could make it before the instability of the steep snow slope turned us back.