Like clockwork, Dave and I go hiking, and two days later, I’m angling about the next hike. This past week we were looking for something less arduous—one without scrambling or scree—a forest walk to Taylor Lake.

We left just before sunrise for our 7 am hike. 

The lot was almost empty when we arrived—just one vehicle—whose occupant we surmised was overnighting at the lakeside campground. We entered the fenced-in trail via an impressive bear gate—designed to keep wildlife from entering the highway.

This hike was all trees—and MOSQUITOES. The deet we applied kept them at bay; however, there was nothing we could do about the wispy, clingy spiderwebs that brushed our faces.

Taylor Lake is a moderate hike (8.5 mi, 14 km roundtrip) that climbs steadily (2,100 ft, 700 m) through a lush, dense forest. Despite late summer, wildflowers still lined the trail and open meadows.

Several small bridges spanned marshy areas. We found the trail blissfully dry—a great reason to do this hike late in the season. The skies clouded, and patchy rain threatened as we neared the lake.

After a brief lakeside exploration, Dave and I forged our way around the left side of the lake to get a closer look at the falls. There was no well-defined trail, only the footsteps of the occasional fisherman.

On the way back, we lunched on the bridge, escaping most of the bugs and critters that had kept us company along the way. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson had it right when he said, “If we walk in the woods, we must feed mosquitoes.”  

I respectfully beg to differ.