Trail Gulch Lake, outside of Callahan on the northern edge of the Trinity Alps, was chosen as a high-elevation hiking destination that would keep us out of the heat and smoke. While the temperatures remained tolerable, we were more than a little dismayed to note the increasingly strong smell of fresh smoke as we progressed along the trail. Once we got to the lake, we could actually see smoke curling over the top of the ridge surrounding Trail Gulch Lake. This was a bit worrisome, to say the least, so we had a quick lunch and headed out.
We learned later that several small fires had begun the night before, which have grown into quite the conflagration as of this writing. Hikers may want to avoid the Trinity Alps Wilderness for the rest of the season.
But next spring would be a great time to visit this trail. Its botanical diversity is admittedly on the low side. In fact, Don will tell you that the meadows are “cow-hammered” and grumbles about the practice of grazing cattle in these “wild” lands. However, it is still a fun trail once you get into the wilderness proper. The path winds through warm, humid meadows; across rippling streams; into the dappled or even dense shade of conifer forest; and finally up over a ridge to the lake. There’s a lot of variety in scenery, both up close and in the distant views of alpine peaks.
To get to Trail Gulch Trailhead, take Cecilville Road (Forest Highway 93) just west of Callahan, and continue 12.3 miles to the turnoff for Carter Meadows Campground. Proceed ~2 miles on a bumpy dirt road to the trailhead (2-wheel-drive vehicles should have no difficulty). (Important note: many maps of this section of the Trinity Alps are inaccurate: Trail Gulch Lake and Long Gulch Lake are often confused. Trail Gulch Lake is situated northeast of Long Gulch Lake.)
The trail itself is mostly in good condition. The ~0.75 miles at the start is an old abandoned road, probably our least-liked hiking surface, what with its ruts and loose rocks. The trail gains ~800 feet of elevation, generally gradually over its 2-mile length, with a bit of a kicker toward the end. Overall, we’d rate this trail’s difficulty as moderate. Give it a try in the spring!
We hope you’ll enjoy the following slideshow of some of our finds on this fun hike. All photos by Don Burk. ~Laurie & Don Burk
