Explore to do - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you.
Not only was it not marked, there was no way to know which trail to follow, there were numerous pathways! 2.5 mi turned into 6.5 mi.
Pretty hike but a tough drive to the trailhead
reviewed Great hike, very dog friendly. Trails aren't marked so we got a little off course and had to do some backtracking but who doesn't love a good side quest?
Steer right towards the actual Castle rock and ignore that other section that keeps going up - nothing to see there unless you just want some more time with the birds and to burn some calories. That section of the hike finishes with a whimper (no view). Otherwise, it's a pleasant hike with a decent workout factor for the first 30 minutes.
very beautiful trail :)
Nice, short, and beautiful hike.
It was a great adventure. Not to difficult. Great views.
Awesome short hike!
Trail is always packed unfortunately. Nice, short trail; went when there was still snow, so it was very slippery with no microspikes.
April 8, 2021Definitely a steep incline to get there. About four noticeable hills for burning the quads. Rocky at times and not too bad for traveling overall. I would recommend for families, but not for young children unless you have a pack for carrying them (or may take a while). We had a solid 20lb ball / 8mth old who wouldn’t stay in the carrier, so we upped our workout. Lots of bear tracks on our trip!
Really awesome hike with the family. Doing it clockwise was steep in places. Good workout. Beautiful scenery. Really peaceful. Hardly any snow left Apr 5 but hiking boots recommended for a few muddy spots. Easy meander down.
The beginning was probably the hardest part because it was steep, rocky, and wet. Still quite some snow in some parts especially closer to the lake. Definitely need to wear hiking shoes for this hike. It eventually evens out once you're closer to the lake, but it's all incline before then. NOT a mountain biking trail. There are a lot of narrow and big rock areas that would be challenging for many bikers. There are tall, rock towers encased in wire for markers, but they're sometimes confusing and not well marked. Be aware of the markers and some arrows or you could get lost. The markers stop once you get to Castle Rock fork so use a map or GPS. The meadow wasn't green but boggy. Overall a worth while hike with beautiful trees and lake.
Most of it was unimproved road, which didn't always look scenic, but the view at the top is stellar! I had do not disturb on and missed the notification when we went off route, d'oh!
Solidly moderate hike. Not the most scenic that big bear has to offer, but still worthwhile. The biggest issue is parking. Rise early.
Gorgeous trail. Difficult for the first 0.6 miles. Beautiful small water falls too. Not a loop!
great hike. The elevation was gnarly. I was out of breath.
Beautiful views at the top and really enjoyed one of my first hikes in snow! Very peaceful and secluded in the forest. I would have lost the trail if it wouldn’t have been for prominent tracks along the path from previous hikers. And most of the snow was also pretty packed. 60-70% of the trail is snow-covered right now. Nice mid-level workout of a hike!
Great hike! We started off to the right and it was a great decision. A lot of snow and crampons made it easier. The left side was super powdery snow with some spots around 2-3 feet deep. Amazing hike. Our 4 year old did it
Great workout and promising viewpoints, but I went out on an early cloudy morning! Had a couple of beautiful views break through though. Mostly manageable walking through dirt and rocks, but hit a couple of areas that were blanketed in snow. I bought some trekking poles and I’m thankful I did as this was my first hike in snow!
The trail was marked with wired baskets that had rocks in them and arrows on the trees, which helped as you got deeper into the snow. There are parts where the incline is intense but it settles down at the right moments letting you catch your breath. The views were spectacular and hiking in the snow is by far one of my best experiences. My only let down was that at the end of the trail there was no final view. This trail just led to different paths. All in all, I would definitely do it again. Went with hiking boots and could not have imagined going with shoes
