Laurel Lake High Sierra

[offbeatnpath]

I'm just wondering ic anyone has been there. You need four wheel drive to get there. I've wanted to go there since I was a kid. My Aunt once lived in the cabin right before the trail going up to Laurel Lake. She had some 99 year lease. When my mom was there they hiked up there to fish the lake. One of the few places in California that have natural golden trout still there even today. My question is how bad is the road up. I just recently have had a 4 wheel dri e vehicle and plan to go this summer. I have a yj and my wife has a grand cheerokee. Well the grand cheerokee have the clearance to make it? Thanks in advance for any info you have.

[FishPOET]

http://www.myjeeprocks.com/forums/showthread.php/20566

My Grand Cherokee made it just fine

[CVD]

I did it a few years ago. We fished a little; didn't get anything, but it was mid-day and we weren't really prepared (wish we had had more time). Easy in a stock TJ, could have been done in a 2wd truck.

[nwoods]

Yeah, 4wd not really required if you have any back country travel experience. There are some smaller soccer ball sized rocks on the lower part of the trail, and some tight switch backs that can unload a tire if you are positioned incorrectly, but I think any high clearance vehicle should be fine if driven intelligently. Unless there's snow, which there definitely IS right now and will be for quite some time I should think. There are some videos and photos of Laural Lakes trail shot last year on ExpeditionPortal in the CA section.

[DaK]

Cherokee should have no problems if as stated, driven intelligently. By that I mean, just watch your wheel placement. Was last up there a few yrs ago and some of the initial hills were rutted a tad but nothing to be concerned about. As stated the road is tight. There were patches of snow on the North faces of the mountains back there.

On your way up, on the right, down in a valley, for lack of a better term, there is a grove of Aspen's. This grove has a stream running through it. Very peaceful and a very nice place to camp. And yes, there were fish in there.