The drive down from Challis along the Salmon River yields an awesome find, a Bald Eagle perched on top of a tall pine tree overlooking the river. Awesome!
I passed on this hike yesterday because of building clouds (and it ended up being a mostly sunny afternoon) and ironically, when I walk out the door this morning, it's cloudy, very cloudy. Oh well, I'm hiking it anyway. Besides, clouds keep it cooler which is good as I climb to the lakes; then it can get sunny.
I get started around 8:30am. The trail starts out of the parking lot, thru bunches of lupine and white yarrow (one of the few plants still blooming).
I thought the trail would follow along the lake short but I'm heading away from the lake at first and then curving back around climbing slightly - just heading around the corner of the lake (but not near the lake). There's a wonderful flowing stream in the woods as I walk along.
Above me is a team of horses taking vacationers on a "hike" (the easy way).
Ugh! I don't want to be behind them. But I will be as I wait for the horses to pass at the trails intersection. :(
But tailing the horses is very short lived as the horses are going to Fishhook Creek. Yea!!
I enter the forest crossing that creek that I've been hearing.
The forest is quiet with only chipmunks scampering around. And thankfully, the trail is climbing - nothing too steep, just very gradual.
It takes some walking before I get a glimpse of Redfish Lake below. But the trail winds from glimpses of water to full view forest. I so love the bright green moss!
Soon I hear a lot of voices and then see a horse team stopped along the trail. Ugh! As I catch up, the horse team moves on. And then I end up literally at the back end of the horse. The guide realizes I'm there and eventually stops the caravan so I can pass. Thank you! Upward and onward!
Finally, probably close to the 3 mile mark, I reach a ridge with views of Redfish Lake
And the mountains!!!!
The trail is now flat and open which is wonderful and exciting!! But the trail has not been buggy until now so stopping to enjoy the views means getting swarmed by biting flies. Moving quickly.
I do have to stop for a wonderful Western Tanager! Such a beautiful bird and this only the second one I've ever seen.
At 3.5 miles, I reach the turn off for Bench Lakes. I turn right (heading straight ends up at the other end of the lake). This is a totally different landscape here - very green on the ground. Earlier this year, this was very wet and probably flooded by snowmelt as it follows a now dry stream bed.
I'm entering the Sawtooth Forest now so I stop to fill out a permit - day hikers and backpackers required. This is the toughest paperwork I've ever filled out as I am swarmed by flies and mosquitoes. They can have my left shoulder as it's all bitten up from yesterday anyway. I finish as quickly as possible leaving the bugs behind as I exit the forest and back into a dry meadow. And holy cow, there's those pointy mountains!!
It was a nice consistent climb to this point but it gets a little steeper as I climb several switchbacks. Even have a sliver view of the lake below.
I reach those wonderful Mariposa Lilies again!
Soon I'm on the backside of the hill I started on and then I've reached Bench Lake #1! What a view!!
There are 5 lakes (I think) so I head around the right side but the trail ends pretty quickly.
I head back and the horses are here and they've gone to the left. So I take a break where the trail hits the lake. Sure would be nice to see some blue sky but it's still beautiful without it.
Time to head back. Still love the views.
I get a surprise coming back from Bench Lakes to the main trail; despite the cloudiness all day, I see not one but two Small Wood Nymphs fluttering around.
(I see 4 of them by the time I get back to the trail head. And one additional Western Tanager!)
Awesome trail!
After lunch, the sun is starting to poke out. So I drive back to Redfish Lake for a look. And then head south 20 miles to Toxaway Lake.
(Just checking out my potential trail head for tomorrow.)
As I head back north, there's more sun and I have to stop at Redfish Lake again.
From there, I head to Stanley Lake west of town stopping at a Wildlife Overlook. No wildlife visible but a great view of this incredible landscape.
And then at Park Creek Overlook.
This area burned sometime in the recent past as there are still burtn tree skeletons around. I don't see any new tree grown but plenty of green on the forest floor - including lupine and Mariposa Lilies.
Pretty interesting marker here.
On the way back to town, I find Stanley Lake (again) and stop for a quick look.
Well, that's my day - quite nice!
