#alpine county

floral colour wheel

Frog Lake and Lake Winnemucca Lake are located off of Highway 88 in Alpine County. And for alpine lakes these are both fantastic. Clear cool water surrounded by pine trees and granite peaks with bits of snow still left covering them. We hiked out to these lakes last July when the wildflowers were blooming and the trails were packed with fellow adventurers. The bright blue sky gave us the perfect setting for the endless views of the beautiful land. I really have loved that we decided to start hiking more off of Highway 88 when we go to the sierra nevada’s as there is so much beauty there and new things to explore.

After so many months of not being able to hike in the mountains, I am really getting excited to get back in the elevation. On one of my last hikes in the mountains I took my drone, Sparky, for a flight (which did end in a bloody drone accident) and captured these gorgeous photos along the Lake Margaret Trail. Fall color was almost in peak which made the lake even prettier. While this trail is one of my favorites, it is even cooler to see it from the sky.

Autumn in the sierra nevadas is just spectacular. It happens much earlier than down in the foothills and the valley but it is so worth the time and travel to explore the beautiful groves of aspen trees. Early to mid October is peak season for these trees and this year, I went to some new places to explore. We had been to Lake Margaret over the summer and decided it would be fun to do the hike again in autumn to see the aspens. And while some spots were past peak and some would be peak in another week, it was so wonderful to get away from the road and see the aspens back in the forests. The trails were busy with chipmunks preparing for winter and birds flying around. The gentle wind rustles the aspen trees and makes the chilly morning all the more spectacular.

The difference from July to October of Hope Valley and Red Lake. Now Red Lake has been a favorite spot of mine for a few years for fall photography. There’s a beautiful grove of aspens near it and I’ve gotten some amazing shots of the lake before. But not until this summer did I know that there is actually an amazing spot to over look the lake. And that’s at the far side of Frog Lake in Mokelumne Wilderness Area right off of Highway 88. I loved the view so much I went back in October for the short hike and the amazing view. It definitely wasn’t as green anymore and the aspens in the area were ranging from almost peak to peak. But I’m pretty sure that whatever season you go, it would be breathtaking. 

I think I may have found my new favorite trail. It’s not too long, only five miles round trip, but it’s filled with so much variety. There’s forests, meadows, granite boulders, creeks, ponds, and more. The first time we hiked it we even got to experience an afternoon thunderstorm and a beautiful light rain. I’ve found this trail to be such a wonderful step out of the busy world and into the world of chipmunks, leaves, and rocks. It’s so simple and beautiful. A perfect step away from the stress and loudness of our world. I know that we’ll have lots of photos from this trail over the next few years, and I’m excited to explore it throughout the seasons. 

Up off Highway 88 just at the edge of Amador and Alpine County lies Lake Margaret. It’s a fair sized like, 2.5 miles in on a gorgeous trail. Surrounded by granite rocks and pine trees this lake is so still and quiet. I find high alpine lakes to be so surreal, especially the ones you have to hike to. We hiked back to the lake during the middle of an afternoon mountain thunderstorm with light rain most of the way. This rain made the lake even more beautiful as you could see all the rain drops falling into the water and hear the quietness of the rain.