Mirror Lake Trail

Mirror Lake Trail is a fantastic quick hike that the whole family and newer hikers should be able to enjoy. It’s a favorite for locals with dogs, especially on a hot day. Try to plan your trip outside of peak weekend times if you’d prefer a quieter hike.

The trail begins on the forest road, where you’ll park and walk the last of the road to the start of the hiking route where two trails merge into the Mirror Lake Trail.

Cross the stream and skirt underneath Cottonwood Lake, heading to your left to wrap south towards the shore of mirror lake. An arm of the PCT connects here, but don’t bother following it in the opposite direction, as there’s nothing to see for quite some time in that direction. Take it south around the lakeshore, turning around where it begins to curve away from the lake and heading back to the trailhead the same way you came.