Crumbaugh Lake Trail

Crumbaugh Lake Trail is a 2.6-mile out-and-back from Kings Creek Picnic Area to a meadow-edged lake beneath Mount Conard, passing Cold Boiling Lake on the way. The route is fairly level for most of its length; allow about 1.5 hours for the walk and time at both lakes. You start around 7,400 feet, so take the easy pace seriously if you are not used to the elevation.

The first 0.8 mile is mostly level to Cold Boiling Lake. From there the path descends gradually through firs and pines, then larger trees, to Crumbaugh Lake at about 1.3 miles. The lake sits in a grassy meadow; turn around at its shore and return on the same path. The longer trail corridor continues beyond the lake toward Mill Creek Falls, but that is a separate, much longer outing.

This is a small, shallow hydrothermal lake, not a roiling hot spring. Only a little gas still bubbles at some shoreline points, and most of the lake looks still. Small bubbles may be easier to spot in the muddy pool on the west side. It is a good reason to pause on the way out, even if the activity is subtle.

At Crumbaugh Lake, the open grassland and shore wildflowers replace the forested trail. Corn lilies grow near the water, and the meadow is a good place to watch for birds and deer. Mount Conard rises to the south, with Bumpass Mountain visible across the basin. For a photo, put yellow flowers in the foreground and Mount Conard beyond the lake to keep the whole landscape in the frame.

Use the Kings Creek Picnic Area access; it is separate from the Kings Creek Falls Trailhead across the highway and meadow. The park prohibits pets on hiking trails, though service animals are allowed. Standing dead trees in the Dixie Fire burn area can fall without warning, so stay alert in wooded stretches and check current trail conditions before setting out.