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 Reporter |
Summary: Lake Margaret is one of the prettiest little lakes in the Sierra Nevada that you'll ever see. The trail is moderate, and difficult to follow in places. There are many spur trails taking off from the main trail. Try to stay on the main trail and look for signposts to guide you. Near the end, at a creek/log crossing, the trail becomes very indistinct, and you may need to search around to pick it up again. This trail becomes quite busy on the weekends. Weekdays or early in the morning is the best time to visit. Trailhead: From Hwy 88/89 junction, drive 12.2 miles west on Hwy 88 to the marked Lake Margaret trailhead (0.2 miles past the Caples Lake dam). (Lat:38.72256 Lon:-120.0859) Trail Guides for Lake Margaret - El Dorado Natl Forest: 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California by John Soares and Marc Soares (The Mountaineers) California Hiking by Tom Stienstra and Ann Marie Brown (Foghorn Outdoors) Best Seasons: Fall, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: El Dorado National Forest, (209) 295-4251 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Leon Turnbull, who has posted 17 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 2 of 2 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Jeff on 7/16/2006 Hiked it today, along with the Shealor Lake Trail and the Meiss Lake trail but only up to the top of the pass. The Lake Margaret trail is hard to follow, and there are a few rock scrambles. The lake really wasn't that impressive, as Sierra Lakes go. I think the "easy" rating for this trail is way underrated. 
Reviewed by Jacob on 7/11/2006 it was a little short but a nice paradice tucked away in the mountains of eldorado county 
Reviewed by Little Wolf on 7/3/2006 I have hiked the trail three times twice in June and once in July over the course of a year. My brother and I spent three days dispersed camping in July and only had the misquitos to complain about. Haven't found the lake yet, but we'll be trying again real soon. Beautiful country up there and would live there if I could.
Reviewed by Mary on 7/1/2006 Nice hike, but a bit more difficult than other reviewers led me to believe. Might be due to still melting snow. There were 4 logs to walk across creeks, all but one could be crossed in the water if one so desires. Trail markers are there, but you do need to look carefully. Insect repellent is a definite must. Parts of the trail were still under a bit of water as of late June '06. Pretty, though - lots of creeks, ponds, and meadows. I would go again!
Reviewed by Josh on 8/15/2005 I've been hiking this trail for years now and I'd still submit that it's my personal favorite. There are longer and more scenic trails out there to enjoy but this one is unparalleled if you're looking for a moderately challenging hike with some of the best swimming out there. And the trail's not hard to find either. Just make sure the snow's all melted and look for the markers.
Reviewed by Pam on 7/26/2005 My husband and I started out to hike to the lake but never made it. We got sidetracked by the beauty of the meadow and its wandering stream. Here my husband taught me how to fly fish. It was so beautiful and peaceful. I agree with Debi, you need mosquito repellant very much. The trail was marked very clearly until we crossed the very large log crossing the stream. Then we relied mainly on previous hikers and their stacks of rocks to guide us. Fellow hikers we met were: dogs (very friendly) and lots of women in their 50's and 60's (putting us to shame as we frequently stopped to rest in the shade). We will return to this hike and vow to make it to Lake Margaret at last. Do take this hike---it is truly out of this world!
Reviewed by Debi on 7/17/2005 The trail is very easy to follow most of the way. Anytime there's a doubt, pause a look around for stacked rocks pointing you in the right direction. We hiked with our 2 1/2 year old and met up with a group of 40 to 60 something ladies. We went mid-July and were confronted with beautiful wild flowers, many streams, and a lot of mosquitos. The trails is half shaded, so bring a hat and sunscreen. The lake was a perfect temperature, just like an unheated pool. 
Reviewed by Viewer on 6/28/2005 Not only is the trail hard to follow in places, it is virtually non-existent after about 1.5 miles. I would not recommend this trail to the novice navigator. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, Alpine County Hiking, Alpine County Trails, Alpine County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||