The alpine mountain ranges in the U.S.– defined as ranges that rise past treeline– have thousands of lakes in them, and you have to hike to get to most of them. It’s totally worth the effort, though, because these backcountry wonders, usually carved out by ancient glaciers, truly are gems.
Here are some alpine lakes you visit as day hikes, though you might want to bring some camping gear and use them as a base for exploring instead.
Seven Lakes Basin, Washington
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Located in Olympic National Park, these lakes are part of the 18-mile High Divide Loop. In addition to the lakes, you’ll also enjoy stunning views of the Olympic Mountains from High Divide.
Dusy Basin, California
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Starting from South Lake outside Bishop, the Bishop Pass Trail climbs for nearly 7 miles through the John Muir Pass to Bishop Pass on the border with Kings Canyon National Park. Along the way, you’ll pass several alpine lakes, each a little more austere than the last. From the pass, you’ll see stunning Dusy Basin, which is littered with lakes. You can still visit them in a very long day.
Kearsarge Lakes, California
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This is another trail through the John Muir Wilderness to a pass (Kearsarge Pass) on the boundary of Kings Canyon National Park, and it passes a series of lakes as well on its way to the pass. The pass reveals views of Kearsarge Basin, where two alpine lakes frame the jagged Kearsarge Pinnacles. Hiking to the lakes and back makes for about 15-16 miles of hiking in all.
Monarch Lakes, California
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The Monarch Lakes are in the Mineral King area of Sequoia National Park, and it’s about 10 miles round-trip to visit them. For even more amazing views scramble up the ridge to the summit of Sawtooth Peak. Many visitors here protect the undersides of their cars with chicken wire to deter the native marmots from chewing on wires.
Sawtooth Lake, Idaho
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Many consider this to be the premier hike in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Mount Regan, one of the beauties of the Sawtooth Range, looms above the lake, forming an iconic view. The hike to the lake is filled with great scenery as well.
Fourth of July Lake, Idaho
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The White Cloud Peaks are a lesser-known range in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, and they’re not as visible from roads as the Sawtooths are, but they’re incredibly beautiful. The hike to Fourth of July Lake is fairly short and easy, and there are awesome mountain views at the lake.
Upper Grinnell Lake, Montana
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Upper Grinnell Lake is fed by meltwater from the Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National Park. For much of the summer, icebergs float in the silty-colored lake. There’s gorgeous mountain scenery for much of the hike, including incredibly turquoise Grinnell Lake.
Iceberg Lake, Montana
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Like Upper Grinnell Lake, Iceberg Lake features floating icebergs for much of the summer after the lake thaws from its winter freeze. At the lake, sheer 3000’ cliffs surround it on three sides. This is one of the most beautiful hikes in America.
Our Lake, Montana
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South of Glacier is a vast mountainous area known as the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Our Lake is an alpine lake located in the Sawtooth Range near Choteau, and it’s just outside the wilderness boundary. It’s a true gem, and an unofficial trial leads you past the lake to a divide on the wilderness boundary, where you can see an ocean of peaks.
Hyalite Lake, Montana
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Hyalite Canyon is a popular recreation area in the Bozeman area. The trail to Hyalite Lake passes several waterfalls along the way, and the lake itself beautifully frames Hyalite Peak, one of the highest in the Gallatin Range. An unmaintained trail leads steeply up a ridge and talus slopes to Hyalite’s summit for great views of northern Yellowstone Country.
Lake Solitude, Wyoming
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You’re not likely to find this lake’s namesake at it or on the way to or from it, but that’s no reason not to visit this beauty in North Fork Cascade Canyon in Grand Teton National Park. Many people include this lake as part of a loop of Cascade and Paintbrush Canyons, which takes you over Paintbrush Divide for epic mountain views.
Big Sandy Lake, Wyoming
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Most alpine lakes in the Wind River Range, Wyoming’s highest, are out of reach for day hikes except for the strongest of hikers. Big Sandy Lake is an exception, and it also doesn’t entail much elevation gain over the 4.5 miles to it.
Most people make the lake a base camp for overnight trips or pass it on their way to other destinations, but it’s excellent if you just want a day hike to a pretty mountain lake surrounded by mountains.
If you’re up for it, continue past the lake, where the trail climbs steeply past more lakes to Jackass Pass, where there are views of the world-renowned Cirque of the Towers. This makes for a 15-mile day.
Sky Pond, Colorado
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Glacier Gorge in Rocky Mountain National Park has several forks, and to get to Sky Pond, follow signs for Loch Vale. You’ll pass the Loch and Lake of Glass on the way to Sky Pond, a true alpine tarn surrounded by rugged peaks and spires. This is the best lake hike in the park.
Snowmass Lake, Colorado
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In the Maroon Bells wilderness near Aspen, most of the attention goes to Maroon Lake and its classic view of the famous Maroon Bells. Not far away, though, is a trail for Snowmass Creek. It’s strenuous and not heavily traveled, and Snowmass Lake sits directly beneath Snowmass Peak and reflects it perfectly on calm days.
Lakes of the Clouds, New Hampshire
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Most of the U.S.’s alpine lakes are in the west, but there are four mountain ranges in the East that crack timberline, and the White Mountains in New Hampshire are one of them. The Lakes of the Clouds are a series of tarns located between Mount Monroe and Mount Washington. There’s also a hut there, maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club, that you can stay in when there’s availability.
13 Best Coastal Towns in the U.S. (That Aren’t Overcrowded with Tourists)
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The beach is great, but the crowds and traffic in super-popular beach towns aren’t.
Fortunately, there are some coastal towns that have great beaches yet haven’t become overrun with tourists. If that’s more your style, then you’ll love the coastal towns on this list.
13 Best Coastal Towns in the U.S. (That Aren’t Overcrowded with Tourists)
The Two Best Scenic Wonders in Each of the Mountain States
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The Mountain States– Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico– have some of the wildest and most rugged landscapes in the United States. Because they’re so big, it can take a lot of time to visit them, so it helps to be able to plan for some specific destinations.
Following are our choices for the top two must-see outdoor locations in each of these seven states.
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