Allstones Lake Trail instantly became my favorite hike we have done to date. It has everything I was looking for. Amazing forest trails, exposed roots as natural steps, streams to cross (although they are small) a spring coming out of the hillside (perfect for a quick drink). And views that will take your breath away.
This fairly steep 10 km out and back trail is not for the faint of heart. There is an 843 meter (2766 feet) elevation gain that is all down on the way back. That can be harder on the knees than the uphill portion. All Trails rates it as a moderate trail but everyone we passed on the trail considered it a hard trail. That includes some of the overnight backpackers we passed on their way down from the backcountry campground on our way up. The trail is narrow in some areas. Really, really narrow in others. Most of the way you are in the trees but there are some sections where you are traversing across the slope. Those areas are very narrow with little to no feeling of security if you are uneasy with narrow trails across a very steep slope.
The views from the trail are breathtaking. Mountains, snow, lakes, you name it you are going to see it from this trail. At one point I had a 270° view of the world from a high vantage point. Abraham Lake looks incredible, with its blue/green waters, from the vantage point of the mountain. Everywhere you look there is something amazing to see. Even if it’s just how steep the trail actually is. Big blue skies with fluffy clouds, green trees, rocky mountain tops, and blue/green water is everywhere you look.
Halfway up the trail, where the following photo was taken, there are 2 red chairs brought up by a couple in 2019. It’s a great spot to rest and enjoy the view. When we arrived there, the chairs were occupied by a family and I did not want to intrude by asking them to move so I could take photos of the chairs. On the way down, I just plain ol’ forgot. I did manage to sit in one on the way down and talk about them in the video I did of the hike. That video is at the end of this post.
Once you reach the lake, you come across the signpost for the lake. This was the best part of the climb for me. Seeing that signpost gave me a real sense of accomplishment on this harder trail. I knew we had made it!
The lake itself is small but gorgeous. Clear waters and a rocky bottom. There was even some snow along the western edges of the lake in mid-June. A passing hiker on our way down told us he was there 2 weeks prior and the lake was still frozen over. Surprisingly it was not as cold as I expected it to be. I’m told there are fish in the lake but we did not bring any fishing gear (next time I will). There is a backcountry campground along the shore but we did not investigate it. We had a snack along the shore of the lake, walked in the water with our shoes off, and had a much-needed rest for an hour or so before heading back down the trail.
The views on the way down the trail were even better as we didn’t have to turn around to see them. It was all there all the time right in front of us. Once we entered the trees again it looked pretty much the same going down as it did coming up. And, as I predicted it was much harder on my knee going down but the trekking pole I was using really took the pressure off my knee.
There is a section of trail up to the ridgeline that we did not walk. Between the two of us, we have a bad knee and a bad ankle/heel. Next time we are there I think we will rest a bit longer and make the short trek up to the ridgeline. Overall this trail did not disappoint. It was a great hike with amazing views and a nice lake to sit and rest up beside. I do wish there were more switchbacks in the route to take some of the steepness out of the trail but do not let that stop you from hiking this trail. Take your time, hike your own hike, and enjoy the views!
Here is our video of the hike. You get a sense of how out of breath we are and how much effort it was to get to the top. Keep in mind though, we are carrying packs with 25 lbs in them for our hikes as we are training for some great backpacking camp trips next year.
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