Trail Overview

Camp, fish and relax in remote seclusion after a day of challenging rock crawling. Despite damage from recent fires, this is a great place to spend a weekend exploring a gorgeous high plateau with numerous glaciercarved lakes. The trail is part of the High Lakes OHV Area, which is open to green-sticker vehicles. Staging begins at Waypoint 04. Please stay on designated routes and pack out your trash.

Photos of High Lakes

Want to see more?
View All Photos

Difficulty

Difficult: Although much of this trail is moderate, one difficult spot before Waypoint 05 will stop most stock vehicles. We managed to get through with our stock 4-door Rubicon, but just barely. You'll find tight spots between trees with large tree roots. F.S. 608 to Morris Lake is extreme rock crawling.

History

This area, known as the Kimshew Mining District, has a long history starting with prospecting in the mid 1800s and continuing as late as 1980 with modern hydraulic mining. Source: Friends of the High Lakes, www.friendsofhighlakes.com.

Technical Rating

Richard Watkins

Jun 01, 2026

Open

Great trails. Heading back soon.

Patrick Mariolo

May 06, 2026

Open

Snow is still deep for miles after Lotts Lake.

Tyler Littlefield

Apr 10, 2026

Open

Rainy day trail ride, absolutely gorgeous. No issues with no people. We found a few areas of snow but none on the trail. There’s a little trail you can do that connects back to the main road which I highly recommend if you want some extra fun with a 4x4 vehicle. Screenshot of this trail in last photo (black trail).

Mar r

Feb 04, 2026

Open

Trail is definitely harder than rated here. I’d say 7/10-8/10. Do not go when icy or snowy without 35s and maybe even up. Car got stuck halfway through trail and almost rolled off the drop, snow is packed and icy, had search and rescue use 3 vehicles to tow us out. Definitely a Summer only trail for me! Be safe.

Tyler Littlefield

Jan 01, 2026

Open

New Year’s Day snow trip with 7 vehicles. All vehicles made it to 5500 feet to the Philbrook Reservoir. It was dumping rain so the trail was slushy with a ton of water holes. Several other vehicles were on the trail as well.

M W

Feb 07, 2025

Open

The trail had a few folks on it every though there was snow. We didn’t finish the trail due to the snow was too deep. We pulled out the traction boards a handful of times. When we turned around my buddy in a 4Runner lifted with 35’s got stuck on the road and we had to pull winch. Overall we still had a great time on the trail.

Evan Yip

Aug 10, 2024

Open

Main entry dropping into the lakes basin is now gated with locks with signage saying “private”. There is a new official bypass route around this private property that takes 25N04 at the Y with the 611 (prior to first gate headed in) and tags back into the main rocky drop into Spring Valley Lake. This new entry route is very twisty with some steep and loose rocky sections, no longer AWD/small vehicle accessible to the lakes.

Andrew Connors

Jun 02, 2024

Open

Collin Mallery

Oct 13, 2023

Open