The Saddle via Lawn Lake Trail

The Saddle via Lawn Lake Trail is a 16.7-mile out-and-back from Lawn Lake Trailhead to the high saddle between Fairchild Mountain and Hagues Peak, then back the same way. The saddle sits at about 12,398 feet; the two summits are separate, harder objectives. This is a strenuous full-day hike for people already comfortable with long miles at altitude. Allow about nine hours. Lawn Lake itself is already 6.2 miles one way and usually takes five to six hours from the trailhead, so this is much more than a lake outing.

The first climb is the steepest and most sun-exposed part: switchbacks rise above Horseshoe Park, with a short spur near the top for a look back across the valley. The trail then traverses above the Roaring River, passing the Ypsilon Lake junction before climbing through more switchbacks toward the Lawn Lake basin. The grade eases as the route reaches the lake, then steepens again beyond its north shore.

From Lawn Lake, the route continues toward the Crystal Lakes area and the saddle. The upper footpath is less clearly documented than the approach to the lake, so save a reliable route offline and be ready to navigate rather than relying on a destination sign. The last miles reach open alpine ground; turn around if weather or your pace makes the return unsafe. Stop at the saddle between Fairchild and Hagues—continuing to either peak is a different route.

Lawn Lake once stood higher behind a dam. When the dam failed in 1982, the flood changed the valley below and formed the Alluvial Fan and Fan Lake. The lake is back at its original level, and the trail passes through the basin before continuing into the Mummy Range.