Castle Lake

This little natural lake is so beautiful you won’t believe it. It’s the best late summer swimming, there’s a great hike up behind the lake to Heart Lake and I believe you could hook up to the PCT but I’ve never done it myself. I’ve walked out on the ice in winter and watched people fish. When I was young my dad fell through the ice in the shallows up to his arm pits in the water, that was scary. I’ve camped at the camp sites around the lake, or down the creek. I’ve sunbathed and caught the skittery water bugs. It’s one of my top places on earth.

Gorgeous! This lake sits in a glacier carved bowl, and it’s beautiful. There are hiking trails around most of the lake and cool spots to picnic. If you hike up above the lake you will see wildflowers and a view of the surrounding mountains.