It’s hard to imagine a better family backpacking destination than this pair of gorgeous turquoise lakes. The nearly level, 0.9-mile trail to the lakes ambles through old-growth woods and wildflower meadows. At the lakes themselves you’ll find two large shelters and a hiker campground with picnic tables—but probably very few other people. If you’d like a bit more exercise, a well-graded 1.1-mile side path climbs to a breathtaking viewpoint atop a mountain cliff.

To start, take Interstate 5 . . .

This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes: Southern Oregon