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From the northwest finger of Courtright Reservoir, the trail crosses Nelson Creek (difficult in early season) and turns left (northwest) at a junction, leaving Courtright Reservoir. Three miles from the trailhead, the path reaches a signed junction (8570´): A lightly traveled route leads right (north) to Helms Meadow, and another route leads left (southwest) to Nelson Lakes. Your route along the Cliff Lake Trail continues straight (northwest) through a dense forest of lodgepole, red fir, and western white pine.

The trail’s grade steepens over switchbacks as it passes through the filtered sunshine of a south-facing slope cloaked with red-barked manzanita shrubs and large western white pine. Enjoy views of Courtright Reservoir and the surrounding granite domes bordering its shores. Brown Peak (10,349´), Nelson Mountain (10,218´), and Eagle Peak (10,318´) tower on the southern skyline, while farther east, the desolate, sawtooth, granite peaks of the LeConte Divide can be seen breaking the seemingly endless expanse of sky.