Tangle Blue Lake

Tangle Blue Lake is a scenic destination, surrounded by jagged ridgetops, and the approach is short. It is a fairly warm lake, due to its shallow depth, and swimming and fishing are just two of the benefits to be found here. There are good, though well-worn, campsites on the north shore, on both sides of the outlet stream; a more isolated campsite is found among the rocks on the south side. Water is found in a stream on the east side, along the swampy trail. The easy approach means that solitude is sporadic at best. You may climb to the saddle southeast of the lake for views of granite-spired Bear Ridge, Horse Creek Basin, and Eagle Creek.

The Trail:

From the trailhead, you follow old logging and mining roads. A bridge is crossed shortly after you begin, followed by a steep climb before you angle right towards the creek. A road takes off to the left a half mile from the trailhead; this leads south to Horse Creek Basin and the rough routefinding path to isolated Log Lake. Your path continues straight.

An easy climb brings you to the Wilderness Boundary and another gate at mile 1.5. Signs of past logging are slowly healing along the trail; luckily, many impressive incense cedars are still standing.

Shortly past the gate, at a clearing, an old road to the left switchbacks up the hillside to the antiquated Grand National Mine. Our trail drops to Tangle Blue Creek and crosses. Here, the road becomes a path for a while; at a switchback, you return to the road for about .3 miles before it again dwindles to a trail, which may be indistinct among jumbled rocks and seasonal creekbeds. After crossing Marshy Creek, keep to the left and continue along Tangle Blue Creek.

After climbing for several hundred yards, the trees give way to a gently sloping open meadow, often abloom with wildflowers. Signs direct you to Tangle Blue, left, or to Marshy Lakes, right. Drop down to the left, to recross the creek's eroded bed. Wonderful old-growth cedars grow along the meadow's edge.

You immediately pass the remains of Messner's Cabin before the waterworn trail climbs steadily through dense mixed forest for the last half mile. The firs and pines eventually open up onto a grassy meadow. A sheltering row of trees lies just ahead at the lake's shore.The campsites directly under these trees are the most popular. They are level, open, somewhat dusty, and for some reason, there are cement barbecue grills here. If you've brought briquettes, start grilling; if not, stick to a campstove, as the burnable wood at Tangle Blue has been denuded by generations of miners and hikers. Fishing for rainbows and brookies is good at the outlet, where submerged, tangled debris hint at the origin of the lake's name.

Past the campsites the trail continues along the lake's east side, through muddy alder patches. Just beyond the alders a small stream bisects the trail. This is the best source of water here -- be sure to treat or filter it. You immediately cross a meadow littered with broken trees, the result of avalanches from the slope above.

The campsite on the south shore is out of the trees and much smaller (no barbeque pits!) If you prefer sleeping on granite slabs, under the stars, this will be your best choice.

Northern Mountain Supply
125 West Fifth Street, Eureka, CA 95501
800-878-3583, fx 707.445.0781
mtn@northernmountain.com