Crooked Lakes Trail to Rock Lakes via Penner Lake

To reach Rock Lakes beyond Penner requires using a not well-marked trail to the right (east) of Penner, then a scramble over the ridge to the north, but a nice drop down to the Rock Lakes basin. From Rock Lakes, you can loop down (left, west) to Lindsey Lakes. You would have to return to the Carr Trailhead via 4.0 miles of roads. Better yet, arrange shuttle transportation beforehand and have a vehicle drop off or meeting arranged at Lindsey Lake Campground. Mountain bikes can make it, but the amount of rock and roots in the trail make it a slow grind. The climb over the Fall Creek Mountain shoulder ridge is especially rocky. Pushing will be better than riding in places.

Another option: Head to Upper Rock Lake and then turn right (east) at the signed junction. Drop down to the Grouse Ridge Trail then turn right (south) up it heading toward Shotgun Lake and Grouse Ridge. You’re halfway there when you reach Middle Lake, which disguises itself as a wet meadow after the spring snow is gone. Continue south until you reach the Glacier Lake Trail, then turn right and follow it until it ties into the Round Lake Trail or continues left up the ridge to Grouse Ridge Campground. Unless you have a vehicle spotted way-y-y up there, more likely you’ll drop down the Round Lake Trail to the west (right). Enjoy Milk, Round, Long, Island, Feeley, and finally Carr Lakes and most likely you’re back to your vehicle. Sure you could do this loop in a day. But why? This also makes an equally good loop by going in the opposite direction: counter-clockwise instead of clockwise. This loop lets you "bag" over half of the named lakes in the Grouse Ridge Area. That’s worth a notch on your walking stick and more importantly a gold star to hang next to your thankful heart.