Rosy Finch or Bighorn Lake?

[DaveDill]

I have a trip planned over McGee Pass next week and plan to spend a few days exploring the benches above Tully Lake. I'm considering heading over one of the XC passes to spend a night at either Bighorn Lake or Rosy Finch Lake. This area is all new to me and I'm interested to know if one or both have decent camp sites, and if one might be aesthetically preferable. I'm not fishing and primary interest is photography. Thanks for the advise.
Dave

[giantbrookie]

I don't think this will help much because I think both lakes are gorgeous. Both have good campsites. I camped near the outlet of Bighorn in 2018 with my daughter and it was terrific spot--view of the lake and you could hear the roar of the outlet waterfall. The bottom line is that you will be very happy whichever lake you choose. If you camp at one of them you can dayhike to the other which is what me and my daughter did when we stayed at Bighorn in 2018 and dayhiked over to Rosy Finch (at the end of day that began at Hortense Lake). This was our 4th and last night of a 4-night, 5-day trip that looped out of Edison with night 1 at Feather Lake (not recommended--not a visually appealing place), night 2 at Brave Lake, and night 3 at Hortense Lake. My daughter often mentions how much she liked Bighorn.

[SSSdave]

Fortunately, neither have well used tenting spots especially right near the lake like so many illegal campers tend to use because of terrain. But rather require using primitive flat spots like I nearly always use. At the Rosy Finch outlet, it is possible to camp but limited. The rest of the lake shores are an effort to reach. Primitive flat spots can be found at north and south ends of Bighorn. Plateau of ponds is significantly more aesthetic.

https://www.davidsenesac.com/2016_Trip_ ... html#jul16

[giantbrookie]

The key to campsites at both places is camping on high ground. At Rosy Finch the nearest 'high ground' sorts of sites are higher above the lake. At Bighorn, Dawn and I camped far enough away from the lake (in terms of regulation) but we realized afterwards that a higher place would have afforded an even better view down the canyon. In contrast Rosy Finch's sites are higher above the water.

This is a view looking southward toward the outlet side of Bighorn, showing the 2018 ("2018")campsite Dawn and I used and the probably even better but much higher site "best" as well as the likely looking areas on the other (west) side of the outlet

View westward toward outlet of Rosy Finch showing likely nice camp sites on very high ground above the lake.

For what it's worth, I asked Dawn, and her reply was (note she has a photographic memory) that it shouldn't even be a debate. She picks Bighorn in a landslide and mentioned the issue with potential campsites being so much further above the lake at Rosy Finch.

[DaveDill]

Thanks, guys! This is very helpful.
Dave

[SweetSierra]

Bighorn, without a doubt