Etna Summit sits astride the Pacific Crest Trail and has stunning views of the Russian Wilderness and the Klamath Mountains surrounding the North Fork Salmon River, all part of Klamath National Forest. Easily reached by paved Sawyers Bar Road from the town of Etna in the Scott Valley below, it offers the perfect place to […]
Taylor Lake in the Russian Wilderness: Hiking, Camping, Fishing!
Taylor Lake is the most accessible lake in the Russian Wilderness. Camping, fishing, swimming, and picnicking await at the end of the level 0.3 mile hiking trail. This makes Taylor Lake perfect small kids or hikers with physical limitations; nearly everyone can enjoy the beautiful waters, the forest, and the surrounding granite peaks.
Hiking and Fishing Smith Lake Near the Russian Wilderness
Hike to Smith Lake beside California’s Russian Wilderness and enjoy the deep-blue waters and surrounding steep granite. Fishing is good, but campsites are basically nonexistent. Note: Smith Lake is actually just outside the Russian Wilderness on the Salmon/Scott River Ranger District of Klamath National Forest. When to Visit Smith Lake Basically, whenever trails and terrain […]
Sugar Lake Trail in the Russian Wilderness
The Sugar Lake Trail takes you into the beautiful glacial granite of the Russian Wilderness. It’s a great option for day hikers and backpackers who want solitude along with stunning scenery. Sugar Lake “Miracle Mile” Conifer Diversity The drainage is famous for containing a very high level of conifer diversity. Here’s the list of the […]
Trinity Alps Wildflowers with Author Ken DeCamp: Interview
Ken DeCamp’s all-color Wildflowers of the Trinity Alps is a beautiful book covering 629 wildflower species, subspecies, and varieties. Here Ken discusses the book, his favorite Trinity Alps wildflower hikes, and the course of his career as a photographer and writer. Where to Purchase Wildflowers of the Trinity Alps Wildflowers of the Trinity Alps: Including […]
Hiking Ruffey Lake and Meeks Meadow Lake near Russian Wilderness
Hike the trail to Ruffey Lake and Meeks Meadow Lake for a day, or backpack in and camp overnight. Ruffey Lake and Meeks Meadow Lake lie just below Etna Mountain in Klamath National Forest, just north of the Russian Wilderness. Both are sweet little lakes, both quite different, and both with their own charm. These […]
Hiking Big Duck Lake and Little Duck Lake in Russian Wilderness
Big Duck Lake and Little Duck Lake are two of my favorite hiking destinations in the Russian Wilderness. Trails lead to both Duck Lakes, and both offer good camping, swimming, and fishing opportunities. This day hike or overnight backpacking trip is in two of my hiking guidebooks. It’s Hike 80 in Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, […]
Section Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in Northern California
Ever thought about backpacking sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in Northern California? Philip Kramer, author of the new book Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Northern California Section Hiking from Tuolumne Meadows to Donomore Pass (Mountaineers Books, 2018) shares key information in this wide-ranging interview. Why Does Section Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail Have Such […]
Videos of California’s Russian Wilderness
I’ve been exploring the Russian Wilderness in northern California over the last two summers. Here are my best videos from my Northern California Hiking Trails Youtube channel. Enjoy! Big Duck Lake Paynes Lake Big Blue Lake Southern Russian Wilderness from the Pacific Crest Trail
Russian Lake in the Russian Wilderness
Stephanie and I went backpacking to Russian Lake in the Russian Wilderness of far northern California last weekend. Stunning, and we had a lot of solitude. There are also several campsites around the lake, so even if there are other groups, it’s not too crowded. A surprising number stop at Waterdog Lake to camp. Note: […]
Backpacking Russian Wilderness Trails with Thom Gabrukiewicz
Backpacking the trails of the Russian Wilderness is one of my favorite activities. Thom Gabrukiewicz agrees, because he just spent a week at Paynes Lake and environs. Thom Gabrukiewicz is well-known in far northern California from his many years as a writer for the Redding Record-Searchlight. And Thom’s also a hiking guide writer, and we […]