,

Lakes Basin

Sardine Lake, Lakes Basin (10/12/19) Michael Beatley

Often overlooked in the Northern Sierra is the Lakes Basin of Plumas and Sierra Counties.

The Lakes Basin is part of the Sierra Nevada’s and the Pacific Crest Trail runs through it. It has numerous lakes, Gold lake, Salmon Lake, Packer Lake, Upper and Lower Sardine Lake, Young America Lake and Goose Lake among the better known.

Fall color in the Lakes Basin is modest, though its hot reflections upon the lakes’ clear blue waters, along with emerald glimpses of their icy depths, are mesmerizing.

Yesterday, Plumas County color spotter Michael Beatley hiked to an old USFS lookout that overlooks Sardine Lake and reports that the area is hovering between Patchy and Near Peak with some of its aspen still fully green, while others are peaking.

  • Lakes Basin (8,857′) – Patchy to Near Peak (10-75%) GO NOW!