trail suggestions to avoid equine traffic

[Alpenbro]

Last year in Sabrina I saw people with their own llamas hiking above Blue lake. pretty weird, first time I'd ever seen that..

Giantbrookie, you've confirmed my fears about the Pine Creek TH. I figured it would be stanky. Oh well, not really a big deal. I'm headed out there in the 2nd week of August to visit the Bear Lakes basin and ramble around the high country.. Maybe we can push above Honeymoon the first day to escape the dung factor.

Anyone have tips/suggestions for this region BTW? I did a search and there's some good info here but I thought I'd ask anyway.

[giantbrookie]

I'm headed out there in the 2nd week of August to visit the Bear Lakes basin and ramble around the high country.. Maybe we can push above Honeymoon the first day to escape the dung factor.

Anyone have tips/suggestions for this region BTW? I did a search and there's some good info here but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Once past Honeymoon, things get way better. You can go off trail a short distance to Golden Lake (does have goldens, too), which is a nice little get away, or you can go to Granite Park, where there are some beautiful places to stay. You can also head through a gap to the Royces as well. My wife and I hit Bear Basin on day 1 from the trailhead via an off trail notch above Granite Park, but this is a pretty fair grunt from the trailhead (over 5000' of gain). Easier would be to simply stay in Granite Park. My wife and I stayed at Golden Lake once when torrential thundershowers forced us to stop short of busting into the Royces on day 1 of another trip.

[quentinc]

Almost immediately past Honeymoon Lake, you pass by a long series of absolutely delightful tarns. There are dozens of great camping spots along that stretch, if you don't want to push all the way to Granite Park on day 1. Granite Park is wonderful too, although it has a more barren sort of appeal.

[Phil R]

Worst trail I ever experienced for pack train "evidence" was the Paiute Pass Trail. Horse packers seem to like Humphrey's Basin.

My llama-owning friend says pack animals like to drop their loads in streams. Never get water downstream from a trail crossing.

Shepherd Pass Trail is not much fun, but it is pretty and I doubt there are any pack animals going over the pass these days.

Lamarck is nice, but you have to scramble thru Darwin Canyon...worth doing once.