Golden Trout Lakes

I did an overnight trip with my husband to Golden Trout Lakes a couple of weekends ago. The trailhead is out of Onion Valley near Independence, CA, and is the same trailhead that goes to Kearsarge Pass, gateway to Sequoia/ Kings Canyon National Park. Although the hike is short (3 miles to the first North Fork lake), it goes up a good 2000 feet. Also, the trail is not well maintained--look forward to loose scree and some boulders and make sure to bring ski or trekking poles and a sturdy pair of shoes. One's efforts are rewarded with severally glacially carved lakes full of eager-to- bite brook trout and some more wary golden trout. The scenery is stunning, with jagged peaks, wildflowers, and wildlife galore (we saw a mother bear and three baby bears) and one's senses are inundated--the air smells of spicy and sweet plant scents, the wind constantly blows, and the nearby creek sounds of flowing water.