Alta Mountain Trail

The trail that leads you up Alta Mountain is a delight, not just for the summit views but for the ease of access to Rachel Lake, Rampart Lakes, and Lila Lakes. If you’re here for just a day, the mountain should be plenty. If you can spare some time, a backpacking trip on this trail is a great adventure. While this 9.9mi hike is mostly forested on the way up, the views on the summit and at Rachel Lake make it well worth the trip. Expect some steep terrain and Class I scrambling.

From the trailhead at the end of the road, take the obvious trail into the forest. It’s wooded for the majority of the way, but trust that the views will come. The route starts out fairly mild and progressively gets steeper and rockier as you get closer to Rachel Lake.

Watch for small waterfalls as you go. It’s 3.5mi to Rachel Lake. At the lake, look for the signage that points to the “Trail.”. Follow this around the lake, taking a peek at your GPS if you’re having trouble finding the way.

Atop the ridge, look for a trail to your right. 0.3mi later, reach another junction. Go left here to begin to ascend Alta. It’s pretty much a straight shot with no switchback to help you out. There is some easy scrambling required, but it’s Class I for the most part and not highly exposed whatsoever.

Atop the peak, look out over the panoramic view of the lakes and mountains that surround you. From here, you’ll retrace your steps back down the mountain, past the lake, and to the trailhead.