Cliff Lake: Eastern Approach

Dogs Leashed

Features Commonly Backpacked · Lake · River/Creek · Swimming · Wildflowers

This route is the shortest way to get to the Seven Lakes Basin from the east side. The trail is easy to follow with a few blowdowns that haven't been cleared yet. Your way will follow a mostly dirt track with a few rocky sections and two creek crossings.

There is great fishing at Grass Lake in the early fall, particularly from a float tube. Cliff Lake is the most beautiful setting to camp at in this basin.

The Seven Mile Trail is located imminently cross the Sevenmile creek when leaving the parking area, and is then fairly straight forward after that. There are a few sections that are fairly steep, but the footing was good. Once you get on the PCT: Highway 140 to Highway 138 (near Cascade Crest) , the trail is much less rugged until you depart it at the Seven Lakes Basin. Grass Lake is the first lake you come across, it has great fishing and is very shallow. There is a large horse camp area here.

Between Grass & Middle lakes, there is a trail that goes north to Lake Ivern. If you have the time, I highly suggest checking it out (about 5 miles round trip) as the view from that lake is incredible.

I camp at Cliff lake as it is the most picturesque setting, in my mind.

Racoons, deer, squirrels, etc. On the trip back out I did find a section of the trail had been ripped apart and a bees nest eaten & destroyed. I assume from a bear but I saw no other bear sign.