Blue Lake Basin Loop

Starting at the Blue Canyon Trailhead, take the Blue Canyon Trail #982 down past past Round Lake and into the South Blue Lake Basin past Blue Lake to a junction with the Upper South Fork Trail #988. From here, follow the Blue Canyon Trail east past a junction with the Meadow Lake Trail #976, then past Horseshoe, Pear, and Island Lakes to end at a junction with the Red Lake Trail #987 just north of the PCT. All of these lakes are both fishable and swimable. Shortly before reaching the Red Lake Trail #987, look for the use trail that will take you to the Judge J. B. Waldo Tree. After visiting the tree, continue on a short distance to a junction with the PCT, 5.8 miles from the trailhead.Once you reach the PCT, follow it south as it climbs gently, past Christis Spring, over the low divide between the Blue Lake and Fourmile Lake drainages. Continue south on the PCT to a junction with the Cat Hill Way Trail #992, 3.8 miles from the PCT / Red Lake Trail #987 junction. Turn north on this trail and climb easily to the ridge above the South Blue Lake Group. Continue north, looking back once you reach the crest of the ridge for a good view of the north side of Mount McLoughlin. The best viewpoint is from the trail on the southeast side of Cat Hill.Continue north on the Cat Hill Way Trail #992, past its junction with the Meadow Lake Trail #976, back to the trailhead.