Beth Lake is located in the Bull of the Woods Wilderness to the SE of South Dickey Peak. I had been there once before, way back in 1975, on a family backpacking trip when I was 17 years old. I have no idea what route we came in, and has become more of a mystery over the years given the terrain in the area. My son and I tried about ten years ago, but could not find the right place to drop down from the Bull of the Woods trail.
Yesterday (Saturday July 16, 2016) we made another attempt. Armed with a GPS (which failed to show the lake!) and Google Maps, we found it. We came in via the Pansy Basin Trail #551 and Dickey Lake Trail #549 up to Bull of the Woods Trail #550. The descent was tough - we ended up doing a lot of bushwhacking. Although we picked a clearer path on the way out, it was an incredibly steep climb. Well worth the effort though. Beautiful little lake with lots of smallish trout. We even got to see the resident otter.
At the trailhead
Headed up the Dickey Lake Trail
Half way down the descent to the lake. Looking across to Schreiner Peak.
Beth Lake!
My son packed in his float tube.
Beth Lake Bushwhack (7/16/2016)
- Beer Town Bill
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- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Beth Lake Bushwhack (7/16/2016)
Last edited by Beer Town Bill on July 18th, 2016, 11:48 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Beth Lake Bushwack (7/16/2016)
Very cool trip! The lake is shown on caltopo maps in backcountry navigator but isn't labeled. I'm glad you were able to locate it again. How were the mosquitos at pansy lake? I've been waiting for them to die down before I head up that way
- Beer Town Bill
- Posts: 129
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Re: Beth Lake Bushwack (7/16/2016)
We didn't take the side trip to Pansy Lake, so I can't comment on the mosquitos there. But they were fierce at the trailhead and some of the boggy areas.
Re: Beth Lake Bushwhack (7/16/2016)
Note to Mods: perhaps this should be moved to the "Offtrail Trip reports" section?
"The top...is not the top" - Mile...Mile & a Half
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Instagram @pdxstrider
- retired jerry
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Re: Beth Lake Bushwhack (7/16/2016)
wow, I could figure out how to do that
Re: Beth Lake Bushwhack (7/16/2016)
Nice to know it has a name. It's indeed a steep hike there down from the ridge. Do you recall in your old trips in the 70's, if there was a formal trail from the bottom - from Dickey Creek or Big Slide Lake? It was puzzling to see fire rings in odd places around the lake, seemed strange for place in the middle of nowhere. Almost like it was very popular camping area decades ago with people using every flat spot. And the trail (or what looks like it) at lake's outlet heading SE was so obvious I just left everything in camp and went to explore, only to be stopped by wall of rhodies 200 yards ahead.
- Beer Town Bill
- Posts: 129
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Re: Beth Lake Bushwhack (7/16/2016)
No idea how we got there in the 70's and I couldn't find anything in my Dad's old hiking guides that might give me a clue. I have to believe we came in on an old logging road, but the climb back out up to the ridge wasn't all that bad (once you knew the way!).