Getting Out: The Margaret Lake trail is a great gateway for
every outdoor taste: read a book, fish or botanize in the nearby
meadow; travel off-trail to the far side of the valley; or follow
the trail to Margaret Lake.
Determined to wake up in the mountains rather than face a long drive the next morning, Dave Sellers and I piled into the car at 9 p.m. and headed toward Carson Pass. By 1 a.m., we were crawling down a side road off of Highway 88 well above Jackson, our weary heads set attentively forward, looking for a place to roll out our sleeping bags for the night.
I have backpacked a number of times in the portion of the Sierras between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, but it was long ago, and I don’t remember much about it. Dave and a fly-fishing buddy of his set the agenda for this trip, and I was happy to tag along and see something new.
We would not meet Dave’s friend until the next morning for an overnight backpack trip to a special fishing lake in the backcountry, but he knew the Carson Pass area near Caples Lake and told us where to spend a day dawdling in scenic spots not far from the road.
I quickly saw and felt the different mood and aspect of this portion of the Sierras. The High Sierras further south throw up dizzying ramparts that instill a sobering caution and dare you to enter. While still grand, here all seems softer; warmly inviting you to enter and wander at your whim. The grey white granitic rock that predominates further south is mostly pushed aside here by red volcanic rock.
Around the bend just beyond the entrance to Kirkwood Meadows ski resort is a sign marking the Lake Margaret trailhead. Dave had a firm agenda – to fish and complete a couple of small plein air paintings. We hoped to find a pretty meadow split by Caples Creek that would provide Dave with good fishing and scenery suitable for his art.
We descended easily through lodgepole and western white pines toward the bottom of the drainage. We had not walked far, less than half a mile, and there it was just as advertised. On our left, the trees parted revealing Caples Creek, its cool clear water looping quietly through the meadow. This spot met both of Dave’s needs, and he began twitching with the queer anticipation that infects fishermen. The meadow was fabulous, but I decided there was more exploring to do. So I headed out, planning to rendezvous back at the meadow in four hours.
Margaret Lake is two and a half miles from the trailhead, but I never went there. Instead, I followed the trail for a mile or so then decided to travel cross country toward a high open area I had seen from the parking lot.
My off-trail ramble was easy and delightful. I particularly enjoyed a number of sierra junipers I saw along the way. No tree in the Sierras has more character. They often seem to grow out of bare granite, their massive trunks gnarled and twisted, apparently ruthlessly tortured by an angry Mother Nature. But what an artistic result.
Back at the meadow, I met Dave right on time, but he had more to do. No problem. I went back to the car, grabbed my camp chair and a book and returned to the meadow to put both to good use.
I noticed signs for other trailheads higher up along Highway 88 that needed exploration. But the Margaret Lake trail is a great gateway for every outdoor taste: read a book, fish or botanize in the nearby meadow; travel off-trail to the far side of the valley; or follow the trail to Margaret Lake.
Famished afterward? About a solid 5-iron back down the road is the Kirkwood Inn. This old-way station looks much the same as it did back in 1862 and cranks out a solid meal with a fine selection of beers on tap.
