Heart Lake Field Trip
May 30, 2026

Posted onField Trips
View from Heart Lake. A. Clark.
Hikers on the May 30, 2026, field trip to Heat Lake were treated to an expansive view of Castle Lake and Black Butte. Mount Shasta is shrouded in clouds. Photo taken by Amberly Clark

We had a great group of 10 hikers join us on this last Saturday of May to hike from Castle Lake to Heart Lake, north of Castle Crags State Park, and learn more about the Roadless Rule!

Amberly Clark at Heart Lake. D. Ledger.
Amberly Clark discussing the Roadless Rule on the May 30, 2026, field trip to Heart Lake.
Photo by David Ledger.

Along the way, we stopped to look at lichens and several wildflowers including larkspur and mountain heather, and take in the scenic views!

California waterleaf. D. Ledger.
California waterleaf, Hydrophyllum occidentale, was seen in bloom on the May 30, 2026, field trip to Heart Lake. Photo by David Ledger.

Did you know that Heart Lake is within a wilderness and roadless area? We talked about why building more roads in wilderness areas increases wildfire risk and water pollution, and takes away habitat for migrating and endangered species. To learn more about the Roadless Rule, see Sierra Club’s Roadless Rule Rollback – Coalition Talking Points. To submit a comment on why we should keep the Roadless Rule in place, visit Sierra Club’s page, Keep Our National Forests Wild.

Thank you to all who came on the hike!
~Amberly Clark,
Education, Outreach and Outings Coordinator,
Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center