21. Sand Ridge and the Five Lakes Basin

Length:	12 miles round trip
Hiking time:	7 hours or overnight
High point:	7,420 feet
Total elevation gain:	1,400 feet
Difficulty:	moderate
Season:	late June through October
Water:	available from lakes and streams; purify first
Maps:	USGS 7.5' Graniteville, USGS 7.5' English Mtn.
Information:	Nevada City Ranger District, Tahoe National Forest

A series of beautiful lakes lines the trail on this hike, and most have campsites and deep sections suitable for a summer swim. You'll also enjoy a 360-degree view over much of the northern Sierra from the spine of Sand Ridge.

From the junction of Highway 20 and I-80, drive 4 miles west on Highway 20, then turn right (north) onto Bowman Lake Road (Forest Road 18). Go 8.4 miles on this paved road, then turn right at a sign for Carr Lake, your destination. Stay on the main, somewhat rough dirt road and bear right at all road junctions for the last 2.7 miles to the trailhead at Carr Lake Campground.

Follow the road, which becomes Round Lake Trail after crossing a creek. The path borders the shores of Feely Lake, popular for fishing, and offers good views of Fall Creek Mountain. After 0.5 mile begin a gentle climb past red fir and western white pine. Reach an unnamed lake on the left at 1 mile with several campsites on its eastern edge, then immediately reach a trail junction. Go right (the left-hand trail is covered in Hike 22, Crooked Lakes Trail to Penner Lake), and ascend above the granite-lined shores of Island Lake, the prettiest lake in the region. At least two campsites lie among lodgepole pine near the water's edge down to the left. If others have already claimed these, try one of the several sites along the lake's west shore.

Arrive at a crest at 1.2 miles with good views of Island Lake and the serrated Sierra Buttes to the north. The trail then descends 0.2 mile to a creek that runs from Round Lake to Long Lake. On the creek's far side, take a footpath to the right for the short streamside stroll past mountain heather to Round Lake. Granite and metamorphic rock stretch steeply upward on the lake's southeast side, and red fir and lodgepole pine clothe the rest of the lake's shore. Camp at one of the sites near the northwest shore if you find Island Lake too crowded.

Back on the main trail, at 1.5 miles you'll see a faint path traveling through a shallow gully on the left. It leads to Long Lake, which has two campsites on its east shore and, like Round Lake, sees few visitors. One hundred yards past the Long Lake turnoff, you'll see another spur trail to Round Lake on the right. Stay left and climb gently to a spur trail on the right heading down to Milk Lake at 2.1 miles. This shallow lake has a good campsite underneath a two-trunked fir tree near the water's edge. Note that this is your last sure source of water for the next 2.7 miles.

At 2.2 miles you reach a trail junction. Go left and travel under the shade of the red fir forest. A trail fork awaits at 2.8 miles. Go right and then left 100 yards farther for Sand Ridge Trail, where your path initially passes through a grove of young lodgepole pine.

Sand Ridge Trail gains most of its elevation over 0.3 mile and then levels out at 3.5 miles. You now walk along the open ridge covered with a multicolored floral display including mule ear, phlox, and purple lupine. Western white pine, red fir, and an occasional mountain hemlock grow here and there in the exposed landscape but rarely hinder views of the imposing peaks of Black Buttes to the southeast, Stoddard Lake and the Sacramento Valley to the southwest, Fall Creek Mountain to the west, the Sierra Buttes and numerous other mountains to the north, and English Mountain to the northeast.

The trail eventually descends from the ridge and reaches a shallow but swimmable lake at 4.8 miles. A faint trail runs near the south shore, where you'll find several campsites.

From the lake's east side, you'll see the Five Lakes Basin, the hike's final destination, about 0.5 mile east and 250 feet below. Choose your own cross-country route over the gently sloping granite slabs. Most of the lakes offer several campsites and good swimming. Consider adding Hike 22 (Crooked Lakes Trail to Penner Lake) to your itinerary on the way back to the trailhead.