Basin Lakes
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Hikes to this destination:
- Basin Lakes Loop Hike (TH | <— —> | LOG)
- Weather forecast: NWS/NOAA
- Maps: Oregon Hikers Maps Google Maps
- Latitude, Longitude: 45.97477, -121.81701
- Elevation: 4240 feet
Description
Today's maps mark this collection of small lakes in the Indian Heaven Wilderness as the Basin Lakes. They have also informally been known as the Darlene Lakes. They are accessed via the abandoned Gifford Peak Way Trail, which begins near the Falls Creek Horse Camp Trailhead and ends at the Pacific Crest Trail, between Gifford Peak and Berry Mountain on Indian Heaven's high volcanic ridge.
Three of the lakes were named by Forest Service employees in the mid-20th century. Janet Lake is the only lake visible from the trail. Peggy Lake is the westernmost of the lakes. Darlene Lake is a long, narrow body of water and the only lake south of the trail. However, the names were never officially accepted because they were named after employees' wives who were still living at the time, thus violating a nomenclature rule.
There are eight lakes in all, some of them in reality just small tarns, and a few tiny tarn-like ponds scattered about this area. To visit them all, you need to travel cross-country, the route being described in the Basin Lakes Loop Hike.
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