Cottonwood Lake #3 to Horseshoe Meadows

Trip Type: Weekend Out and Back or incorporate with other lakes, or Mt. Langley to make this a 3, 4, or 5 day trip

Trailhead to Cottonwood Lake #3:   5.6 miles

Altitude Gain:  1,100 feet

Trail Difficulty:  Moderate (only because the altitude, otherwise easy)

Trail Traffic:  High, particularly on weekends.  Proximity to Los Angeles makes Cottonwood a Southern Californian favorite.

WSH Trip Rating: 5 out of 5 stars:  We can't think of a better way to get to the high country quickly - particularly for our SoCal friends.  The plethora (yeah, we used that word!) of lakes and camping choices make Cottonwood Basin one of our favorites.

The Hike:  This 5.6 mile hike is relatively flat/undulating in the first couple miles.  The open trail makes this a nice time to catch up with fellow hikers.  At the two mile mark you'll begin a slow even and constant ascent to the Cottonwood/South Fork Lakes trail junction (approximately 3 mile mark).  (Trails and signage on the trip are excellent.)  Take a right at this junction and ascend.  Here the trail begins to steepen a bit.  Also it becomes a bit more rocky, that along with a number of large steps, courtesy of the Forest Service trail crew, makes mile 4 the most challenging of the hike in.  However at mile 5 you ascend to the Cottonwood Basin and are greeted with an EPIC view of Cottonwood Lake #1 and Cirque Peak.  Simply awe inspiring!!!  Have your camera read!  We don't recommend camping at Lake #1 as it's mostly marsh around the lake.  Instead continue on to Lake 2, 3, or 5.  

Camping at Cottonwood Lakes: Cottonwood Lake #3 appears to have the most use and therefore the best camping however there are a few other spots to consider.  There's a nice camping area on the Northeast side of Lake #2 which could provide a bit of solitude as Lake #3 does get a lot of traffic.  Also, if you're really looking for solitude try heading up to East side of Lake #5.  There is no suitable camping at Lake #1 (marshy) or Lake #4.