Military Sinkhole, Rim Lakes, and Highline Loop

We never get tired of a good viewpoint, and the Military Sinkhole, Sim Lakes, and Highline Loop is a great way to appreciate a mesa-top sightline. This route is fairly well-signed, quite pretty, and offers the chance to backpack at the various sites atop the ridge. While this hike is always enjoyable, we definitely recommend visiting in the fall to appreciate the splendid colors of the forest if you can.

You can do this route either way, but we recommend going clockwise to climb the steep, intense Drew Trail rather than downclimb it. The route starts from the trailhead parking area. Take a left to hike along the base of the Mesa to Drew Trail. You’ll ascend up the wall of the mesa on a clear, well-marked trail that’s very steep and rocky. Climb up to where the trail meets the creek, where you’ll cross over and begin a traverse east.

Follow the edge of the mesa to the Military Sinkhole Vista. The traverse eventually begins to pick up a bit of elevation gain as it reaches the viewpoint, but the hard work is over after the first half of the hike. From the vista, take a sharp right to descend on Highline Trail to the trailhead.