On a warm summer day we chose the Stake Lake Trails for a morning hike.     It was cooler at an elevation of 1325 m ( 4347ft.).    Most of the hiking routes are forested too, and we got an early start.     For this day, we hiked trails on the west side going around the lake and up Hold Up.     A signed single track winds through the forest and up the hill to the Rattler Lookout, then we went south and over to the Rattler Trail, and over to the Cowpoke Trail, looping back to Stake Lake, a  9 km hike taking about 2.5 hours.

Stake Lake was a quiet starting point, with the sun rising over the southeast side of the lake.

The ski trails in summer are double tracks through the forest.     The route up Hold Up has moderate uphill grades, climbing a ridge to the south.

From the Rattle Viewpoint we had views in 3 directions.    To the north was Stake Lake.    To the west was Chuwhels Mountain and to the south were the hills above Lac le Jeune and Meadow Creek.

Much of the area has lodgepole pine forests, but there are a few groves of older douglas firs too.    These were on the Rattler Trail.

The Stake Lake Trails have a number of marshes, ponds, and small lakes  just off the trails.    This one has a snowshoe trail that winds by the shoreline.

When the days become hot or smoky, the Stake Lake Trails are a good choice.     Hikers can pick their own route, matching the length and elevation gain to the day’s conditions.    Always recommended…