MIDDLE FORK LAKE

 AUGUST 2022

LAKE DONNA

LAKE DONNA

DREAM LAKE

MIDDLE FORK LAKE

PRONGHORN PEAK

LEE LAKE

PRONGHORN PEAK

MIDDLE FORK LAKE

MIDDLE FORK LAKE

MIDDLE FORK BASIN FROM THE OUTLET TO BEWMARK LAKE

I accessed the Middle Fork Basin via a three-night backpacking trip beginning at the Scab Creek Trailhead. The first day we hiked about ten miles to Dream Lake where we spent the night. While long, the trail to Dream Lake is pleasant, as it passes by several lakes and lily-covered ponds, and doesn't make any real steep climbs. The first eight miles or so are through the forest, after which the view opens up as you enter a river basin with views to the distant peaks.

After spending the night at Dream Lake, we continued up the trail to Rainbow Lake and on to Middle Fork Lake, where we spent the second night. All of the hard work up to this point finally pays off when you enter the Middle Fork Basin. This basin was amazing, with Nylon Peak, Pronghorn Peak and Dragon Head Peak framing Middle Fork Lake and Lee Lake. 

After setting up camp, we made our way up to Bewmark Lake, which required a pretty rough scramble along the side of its outlet cascading down to Middle Fork Lake. While Bewmark wasn't quite as pretty as I was hoping, it did provide some impressive views down to Middle Fork and Lee Lake below. We only saw one other hiker while we were in Middle Fork Basin, and it appeared we were the only ones spending the night there.  

On the third day, we made our way to Lee Lake, and climbed the pass to Lake Donna. This took some effort, as there is no trail, and a lot of bushes and boulders to work your way through. Lake Donna was incredible with boulders surrounding its shore and Pronghorn Peak directly behind it. Probably one of my five favorite lakes I've been to. From Lake Donna we climbed another pass and made a steep descent down to Bonneville Lake, which we were able to enjoy only briefly before it began to rain on us.  

The basin below Bonneville Lake looked really pleasant, but we weren't really able to enjoy it with the rain coming down. We continued down the trail fairly quickly back to Dream Lake, where the rain eventually let up long enough for us to get our tents set up. We started a fire to dry up a bit and called it a night before the long, ten-mile slog back to the trailhead the following morning.