Stuarts Fork

Offering up some of the grandest mountains and lakes of the Trinity Alps, the Stuarts Fork trail is a prime destination for hikers of all abilities and interest.

From the crystal clear river to the towering dug firs and sugar pines you will have a pleasant hike in a shady forest.

If you feel up to trespassing Cherry Flat Falls is well worth a quick side trip.

You will cross Sunday Creek after just one mile, if this is at all high you won't be able to cross Little Deep Creek, which is another three miles or so up the river.

This creek is very fast and just a few yards down stream is the raging white water of Stuarts Fork.

Next you come to the walk bridge over Deep Creek which makes a great place to stop for lunch and check out the waterfalls and swimming hole. After this is Oak Flat and the Alpine Lake Trail junction. Alpine Lake is one of the hardest hikes in the Alps. The brush is seldom, if ever cleared from this super steep exposed trail.

Salt Creek, the outlet of Diamond Lake comes next. With it's mossy rocks be sure to watch your step, while hoping across the creek. When you arrive at a second bridge you've almost made it to Morris Meadows. This is Deer Creek, the main drainage of the Red Trinitys. There is some nice camping near the confluence of Deer Creek and Suarts Fork.

From here the trail steepens for about a mile up to the meadows. Morris Meadows can be a crowded place on weekends but there are campsites everywhere.

A spur trail leads along the west side of the meadow, and passes twenty or so campsites of different sizes and impact levels.

This makes a good place to camp if you have a large group. Or have a few days to spend day hiking up Deer Creek, Sawtooth Scramble, Emerald, and Sapphire Lakes. Just be sure to watch out for rattlesnakes. I have literally, never been on this trail in a reasonable time of year without seeing at least one of these critters.

If you head up to Emerald and Sapphire you might want to check out the historical damns and mining equipment that supplied water for the LaGrange mine.

Sapphire is the deepest lake in the Trinity Alps. You can see how difficult it would be to get around the granite shores of this lake.

And for the hearty mountaineer types Smith, Morris, and Mirror Lake offer true off trail challenge.