Terrace, Shadow, and Cliff Lakes Trails

A moderate day hike that will take you up into an alpine lake basin.

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Terrace, Shadow, and Cliff Lakes Trails Details

These three high alpine lakes lie just underneath the base of Reading Peak and are fairly easy to reach. If you're looking for a moderate day hike that will take you up into the alpine area of Lassen, this four-mile roundtrip trail will provide. As you begin your hike, the trail actually descends. At .2 miles, follow the right fork to get to Terrace Lake. Pass Terrace Lake to get to Shadow Lake, and follow the open meadows and woods for a little over a half mile to get to the Cliff Lake junction. Hike over a low moraine to reach Cliff Lake. The trail is a mix of downhill and uphill segments: you'll hike downhill 300 feet to the Terrace Trail, 350 feet uphill to the Shadow Trail, and 650 feet uphill to the Cliff Trail, for example. To get to the trailhead (which is a turnout off the main park road), drive nine miles from the Southwest Entrance or 21 miles from the Northwest Entrance. Note that because this trail is at a higher elevation than most, it may stay snowed in even in early summer. Check with park rangers for the current status of the trail.

Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

4 miles

Estimated time

3 hours

Region

N/A