Near Emmaline Lake
Falls next to trail
Near Emmaline Lake
Panorama at Emmaline Lake.
Near Emmaline Lake
Cirque Lake.
Near Emmaline Lake
Waterfall enroute to the Cirque Lakes.
Near Emmaline Lake
Emmaline Lake, with runoff feeding a waterfall

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Driving Directions
Hike Trail

Emmaline Lake

4.4 (16 Ratings)
A beautiful trail leading into the Comanche Peak Wilderness with an impressive cirque at the top.
5.4
mi
Distance
2,064
ft
Gain
moderate
Difficulty
LakeRiver/CreekViewsWaterfall
Access Issues
This is a high travel area. Camping is limited to developed campsites in the Cirque Meadow ONLY. No camping within a mile or more of the cirque. The camping boundary is well signed on the trail.

Route Details

Flatter
Steeper
5.42mi
Distance
2,064ft
Elevation Gain
51ft
Elevation Loss
30%
Max Grade
11,015ft
High Point
8,999ft
Low Point
Path Type
Point to Point
Description
From the Tom Bennett Campground continue up FS 145 a very short way to the fork with FS 147. There is a trailhead sign there, though with a 4WD you can drive part way up FS 147. A normal clearance 4WD will go less than a half mile before having to pull off the road. A higher clearance 4WD can make it to a gate about 3/4 mile up FS 147. The road will slowly converge down to a singletrack. There are a few tougher areas to navigate as you get higher on the trail, though there are plenty of cairns to mark the way if you look around. The trail gets steeper as you approach Cirque Lake, then it's a quick jaunt up to Emmaline Lake from there.

Route Conditions

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Contributors
Joel Larner