Ice Age glaciers once scalloped the north side of every ridge in the Trinity Alps. Today if you climb into the resulting “hanging valleys” you’ll find a lake in each, filling the vanished glacier’s footprint. Two of the easiest hikes to these lakes begin at Carter Meadows Summit, where the Pacific Crest Trail crosses a paved road. Maximum group size is ten. If you plan to use a stove or campfire, be sure to get a free permit at www.preventwildfireca.org.

From Interstate 5, take . . .

This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes: Southern Oregon