Poison Lake

Poison Lake is a 7-mile out-and-back hike in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, part of the Carson Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in northeastern California. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route runs from a low of about 7,700 feet to a high of 9,246 feet, with a total elevation gain of about 1,500 feet. Horses are allowed, and the trail is natural-surface rather than developed. Bikes are not. The trail is rated hard, and the climb is one of the steeper ones in the wilderness, so plan on time and effort. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs of about 71°F in June to 78°F in July and August, with the warmest nights around 34 to 36°F. That station sits about 900 feet below the high point, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. The trail is generally open from June 1 to October 15. Several other hikes start close by, including Corral Valley about 1.4 miles away, Tamarack Lake about 2.2 miles away and Poison Flat about 2.7 miles away. The East Fork Carson River, about 3.6 miles away, offers canoeing.