Rainbow Lakes Basin, Trinity Mountains, Idaho USA

Rainbow Lakes Basin, Trinity Mountains, Idaho USA

There are a half-dozen lakes in this area, all reachable after a fairly long backcountry drive on reasonably good roads.  From the trailhead at Big Trinity Lake, the hike is an easy 5 miles in.  In the early fall, we stayed undisturbed for 2 days at Heart Lake.  From there, we day-hiked to the other lakes.

All photographs taken with a Nikon Z5. 17-28mm f2.8.  No tripod, no HDR. 

Heart Lake, 8,100'
(There is only one camping spot on this lake.  The other lakes had more accommodations.)
Click for larger view

 

Trinity Lakes, Rainbow Basin area.
Big Trinity Lake is off the map, to the upper-left

 

Big Rainbow Lake, looking East

 

 

Big Rainbow Lake, North shore

Looking SW, approaching Sunset.  The mountains fell into shadow before the good light.
In the distance, to the left were large stands of pine killed by beetles (not photographed because all I carried was a wide-angle lens).  Somebody needs to figure-out this beetle problem.

Heart Lake, early morning

Above, note the unoccupied Trinity Lookout Station at the tippy-top, 9,450'.  We thought about visiting, but knowing nobody was home, we decided to stay in camp and nap.  In retrospect, we should have made the climb.

Big Rainbow Lake, looking East

Another view, Heart Lake

 

On the trail

 

 Directions:

1. From Boise, Idaho, travel 40 East to Mountain Home, Idaho
2. Take exit 95, State Highway 20, driving 35 miles to the Pine/Featherville turnoff, passing Anderson Dam Reservoir
   
3. Travel north on Forest Highway 61 for 29 miles
   Turn on Forest Service road 172
4. Fifteen miles northwest to FS road 129
   3 miles south to the Trinity Recreation Area.  Arrive a the Big Trinity Lake Campground trailhead.