Richardson Lake Trail

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Features Lake · Swimming · Wildflowers

Richardson Lake sits outside the edge of Desolation Wilderness and is a pretty, lightly-visited alpine lake. It can be easily accessed along the Richardson Lake Trail off of the McKinney Rubicon Jeep Trail or from the intersection with the General Creek Trail.

The hike into the lake is a steady, not too taxing, climb along a dirt road. There are some old hunting cabins along the way, so keep your eyes peeled. Also of note is the Sierra Club Ludlow Hut just past the lake. It's always unlocked and can be a fun destination to explore.

The Pacific Crest Trail and Tahoe Rim Trail also drop into Richardson Lake ( PCT: Echo Lake to Highway 80 (Donner Summit) | TRT: Echo Lakes to Barker Pass).