Hike Glen Alpine Falls and Grass Lake
Details
Distance
5 miles
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Added by Jake Young
Start at the Glen Alpine Trailhead near Lily Lake for an amazing hike to Glen Alpine Falls. This trail makes offers easy access to branch off to other parts of Desolation Wilderness.
Park your car at the Glen Alpine Trailhead adjacent to Lily Lake and southwest of Fallen Leaf Lake. Head west on Glen Alpine Creek Trail passing Lily Lake on your left. After a little over a mile and a half of trekking through the alpine forest and taking in mountain views, you'll arrive at Alpine Falls. Break out the camera, get the kids ready, and start snapping the photo for the family holiday card. After everyone has taken in the sites, head about another mile west to Grass Lake. Grass Lake is a serene setting to relax, refuel and enjoy yourself. If you're doing a day hike, simply head back to the car the way you came. If you're on a longer backpacking trip, you can head north on the Glen Alpine Trail, which will circle around Susie and Heather Lakes, eventually arriving at Lake Aloha.
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Reviews
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Awesome day hike
This is the PERFECT day hike. There are tons of cool things to see along the trail including the waterfall, historic Glen Alpine Springs Resort, and beautiful mountain vistas. Make sure to bring a camera. The trailhead is very easy to access as well, making getting to the beginning of the hike a piece of cake.
5.0
Epic Beauty!
Wow. This Was An Amazing Trail With Epic Water Features And Rivers And Waterfalls. I Wish I Could Post Pics It Was So Beautiful!
5.0
Perfect afternoon Hike
Took this hike out to Grass Lake with my wife and it is officially one of our favorites. Every corner you turn holds breath taking views and it's a pretty easy hike so you can take it all in. The directions to the trail head are wrong but Siri knew where I needed to go. We ended up parking about a half mile from the trail head because the road in was narrow and congested but the spot we found to park was right next to another waterfall. The hike itself is primarily on rocks but very few inclines and could easily work for a family with kiddos. We'll definitely be back, hoping to go a little further next time to Susie Lake.
5.0
Great laid-back trek
Trying to pull up directions to this place can be tough. Google maps can't find it, and Apple maps will take you down the road to some neighborhood close by. We drove down Fallen Leaf Rd. to get here. Fallen Leaf HOA has a gate locked, so we couldn't actually park at the trailhead. We parked at the gate and hiked 3 miles up the road to the trailhead. From there, Alpine Falls was less than a mile in. Gorgeous view, and relatively quiet in the late winter/early spring. Great place to take photos, and enjoy a picnic.
4.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on.
