Late September and early October is a great time to hike in Indian Heaven Wilderness, given the fact that the mosquitoes are long gone.
On Saturday, I made a 10.4-mile hike beginning and ending at Thomas Lake trail No. 111 off Panther Creek road No. 65.
Most years, Indian Heaven is dry and dusty in late September, but with two weeks of rain, the trails were uber-muddy last weekend.
The semi-loop I made started at the trailhead and followed trail No. 111 to Rock Lake. At Rock Lake, where the trail heads right, instead I took a left following the abandoned route of the original Pacific Crest Trail through Indian Heaven.
The original PCT drops through a wooded stretch and crosses two of the largest meadows in Indian Heaven. Just after passing Acker Lake, the old trail climbs steeply and intersects trail No. 176 at Bear Lake.
Take a right here, and then another right at the junction with Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail No. 2000. The PCT passes Junction Lake and arrives at Blue Lake in a couple of miles.
At Blue Lake, turn right back on Thomas Lake trail No. 111 and follow it to Rock Lake, where the loop portion began. It’s then just a case of retracing your route back to the trailhead.
I’d suggest wearing decent boots if hiking in Indian Heaven anytime soon, because much of the trail tread is muddy and the meadows are quite mushy.
Included is a photo looking south from what I think is the biggest meadow in Indian Heaven, at least the biggest I know of and I’ve hiked all the trails in the wilderness, including some not on Forest Service maps.
–Allen Thomas
