Gold Lake to Summit Lake
DESCRIPTION:
3.1 miles one way to Lake, double track, more difficult. See Lakes Basin Map.
DIRECTIONS:
To Gold Lake to Summit Lake
ACTIVITIES:
OHV - 4-Wheel Drives (Rating: Best)
The drive around Gold Lake on the Gold Lake 4WD is a designated OHV route as is the climb up to the Sierra Crest. None of it is technically challenging, bu the scenery is terrific. With the Gold Lake OHV Camp on the west end of the lake, this makes this combination of trail and camping opportunities one of the best.
Hiking - Dayhikes (Rating: Good)
This is a OHV route that is ocassionally used by moutain bikers. Hikers might prefer the Round Lake Trail.
OHV - All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) (Rating: Good)
The route to the OHV Camp on the west-side of Gold Lake is good. To continue up to Summit Lake on the Sierra Crest requires climbing steeper grades with loose rock.
OHV - Motorcycles (Rating: Good)
Mountain Biking (Rating: Good)
Difficulty is mostly due to 640' climb in the last 1.0 mile to the Crest, but it’s on a double track OHV route. With the pleasant ride around the south side of Gold Lake, this is one of the few attractive bike rides in the Basin as it is not nearly as narrow or technical. And from Summit Lake there are numerous options. See Lakes Basin Map.
Some riders have gone on to Downieville in one epic ride. On paper, this looks attractive: dropping into Gold Valley and on to Downieville via several options (see North Yuba River trails descriptions with Lakes Basin and North Yuba River -- Downierville Maps). But for the majority of us once you got over to the east side of the Sierra Crest, it’s more reasonable to stay on Lakes Basin side and save the North Yuba side for another day.
