Castle Lake
Photo: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 0.5 mi
- round trip
- 265 ft
- climb
- 9,805 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Castle Lake open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. It doesn't name Castle Lake, so check the source for the area it covers.
Elephant Fire Closure
Agency closure covering Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest · Order 04-17-26-01-04 · USFS · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Road Closure for Construction Work (Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger Districts)
Agency alert covering Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District · Order 04-17-26-06-04 · USFS · Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District
Area, Road, and Trail Closures (Spring Mountains National Recreation Area)
Agency alert covering Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest · Order 04-17-25-04 · USFS · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Year-Round Fire Restrictions (Spring Mountains National Recreation Area)
Agency alert covering Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest · Order 04-17-24-01 · USFS · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Vehicle Snow Chain Requirements during Inclement Weather (Spring Mountains National Recreation Area)
Agency alert covering Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest · Order 04-17-23-01 · USFS · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Castle Lake is an easy out-and-back hike in the Ruby Mountains Wilderness, part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest's Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District in northeastern Nevada. The trail is short, about half a mile long, and gains about 265 feet in elevation from a low of 9,540 feet to a high of 9,805 feet. The route is on natural surface and is managed by the Forest Service, which does not allow bikes. The trail is open from June 15 through October 30, making it a fit for summer and early fall trips. Several other hikes lie close by. Kleckner Creek is about a third of a mile away, Favre Lake is about 0.6 miles off, and Colonel Moore is about 1.2 miles away. For an overnight stay, Thomas Canyon Campground is about 5 miles from the trail.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Kleckner Creek
Next door
14.39-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 2,561 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Favre Lake
Next door
2.84-mile out-and-back trail to Favre Lake in Nevada with 77 feet of elevation gain.
Photo: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Lamoille Stock
~4 min drive
3.28-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 933 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Colonel Moore
~2 min drive
7.11-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 2,860 ft elevation gain.
Photo: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail
~4 min drive
65.29-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 2,708 ft gain.
HIKE
Lamoille Canyon Nature Trail
~9 min drive
0.43-mile loop in Nevada with 141 ft gain and 175 ft loss, reaching 8,198 ft.
Photo: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Island Lake
~4 min drive
3.64-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 903 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Overland Lake
~14 min drive
10.62-mile out-and-back trail to Overland Lake in Nevada with 2,556 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Right Fork Lamoille
~10 min drive
11.68-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 4,561 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
North Furlong
~11 min drive
2.00-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 473 ft elevation gain.
