Upper Bench Valley Lakes

Dogs Unknown

Features Lake · River/Creek · Views

Start from Horsehead Lake, which is 21 miles from the nearest trailhead at Courtright Lake. This easy 2+ mile, off-trail hike to the beautiful lakes of upper Bench Valley will make the long trek worthwhile. Walk around the east shore of Horseshoe Lake. Head north near the stream that comes from Roman Four Lake, staying just high enough to avoid the slushy meadows. There is very little climbing. The shallow lake is set in a beautiful meadow. From there make an easy climb up the tree-covered ridge to the eastern-most Twin Buck Lake. NeoTecks calls this Bullet Lake, but based on the Geological Survey maps and earlier guide books, Bullet Lake is near the end of this route.

From here on you pass a series of granite-bound lakes, one after the other, all with panoramas of the surrounding ridges. Each has good camping sites. You'll probably not see another person.

From Twin Buck Lake, a short, easy climb brings you to Schoolmarm Lake. On the east side of the lake, climb up the rocks near the stream to reach Six Shooter Lake, which has a steep granite cliff dropping into the lake. The only difficult spot on the entire route is getting down from the rocks on the west side of this lake to the grassy slopes just below. It is only about a 10 foot drop. Most people who get this far, will be able to climb down. At my advanced age, I chose to go around the rocks by wading in the lake.

Once you reach the grass, it is an easy walk past Holster Lake to Bullet Lake where you enter a high, lake filled basin that leads up towards Gunsight Pass. The next lake is an easy walk, but beyond that, the talus becomes more unavoidable.