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11 Dinkey Lakes

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Trip Data: 11S 323436 4108468 (Island Lake); 20 miles; 3/1 days

Topos: Courtright Reservoir, Dogtooth Peak

Highlights: Dinkey Lakes Wilderness receives far less traffic than its eastern neighbor, John Muir Wilderness. This well-graded route leads past nearly a dozen alpine lakes that are set amid granite spires and sawtooth ridgelines. The shallow lakes are relatively warm for swimming.

DAY 1 (Cliff Lake Trailhead to Island Lake, 7 miles): Follow the trail northwest to Courtright Reservoir. Near the reservoir’s northwest end, ford Nelson Creek (difficult in early season. At a signed junction (8570´), continue straight (northwest) through a dense forest of lodgepole, red fir, and western white pine.

The trail’s grade steepens over switchbacks. Above the switchbacks, the route returns to a more moderate grade and soon reaches an unmarked junction (9430´). Take the right fork (northwest) toward Dogtooth Peak and Rock Lake.

Ascend along switchbacks, climbing 110 feet to a junction right (east) to Bullfrog Lake. Go left (northwest), climbing another 200 feet to a saddle and unmarked trail junction to Dogtooth Peak (see for directions on how to bag Dogtooth Peak). From the saddle, descend north-northwest to Rock Lake (9590´). The first of several large campsites is nestled at the southeast shore, with more open south-facing sites along the northwest bank (fishing for brook). The path skirts Rock Lake’s eastern bank, crosses the outflow, and soon reaches a marked junction with a right-branching side trail (northeast) to Little Lake (9640´).