Golden Trout Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Commonly Backpacked · Fishing · Lake · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Wildflowers

All of this trail is above 10,000 feet, so no campfires are allowed.

The newer Piute Pass Trail is the express route down the canyon. The old Golden Trout trail is the local route that branches off of the Piute Pass Trail, runs parallel to it, and then rejoins the Piute Pass Trail after about 3 miles. If you have time for the local sites, this is the route of choice. It is very clear and easy to follow for the first 2+ miles, but the last mile has some rough spots where it is easy to lose the trail.

Because the slopes are gentle and the vegetation is low and sparse, you can hike from Piute Pass to Golden Trout Lake about any way that you want. This has led to multiple paths running from the pass to lake. I have mapped the trail that is currently very prominent and well traveled. It starts at an unsigned 'Y' about 1.25 miles from Piute Pass. (Note: This is substantially before where it is shown on the USGS topographical map.) Take the left (downhill) fork. At about .25 miles, we meet the rutted, unmaintained trail coming down from Summit Lake.

Over the next 0.25 miles, if you look to the slopes on the other side of Piute Creek, you can see a not-very-steep slope that can be used an off-trail route to or from Muriel Lake. The Golden Trout Trail continues down, passing Upper Golden Trout Lake (not very exciting) and then the beautiful (Lower) Golden Trout Lake at 1.3 miles. A short branch trail goes to the north side of the lake. After the branch, the Golden Trout Trail climbs up a knoll where there are remarkable views of the surrounding mountains.

At about 2.0 miles and just below 10,600 feet, the trail passes very near to Piute Creek. This is a good point to cross the creek and make an off-route contour up to the spectacular Packsaddle Lake, which sits directly below the Matthes Glaciers.

For the last mile, the trail is rougher and harder to follow as it passes under trees and occasionally goes near the creek. It finally connects back to the Piute Trail at 3.3 miles. Again, the junction is unsigned. I was hiking up the canyon from Hutchinson Meadow when I suddenly realized that I was on the Golden Trout Trail instead of the Piute Trail. I did not notice where the trail split.