Hike to Johnson Lake from Snake Creek

This is the lonelier way to reach Johnson Lake, and that's exactly the point. From the Snake Creek Trailhead, you'll climb through thick stands of mountain mahogany and limber pine before the trail opens into exposed alpine terrain with views that stretch across the Snake Range. The elevation gain is relentless — over half a vertical mile of sustained climbing that starts at altitude and never lets up. You're already at 8,200 feet when you lace up, so every step feels heavier than it should. The payoff is a high-alpine lake tucked beneath a cirque wall, surrounded by mining ruins from the 1870s tungsten operation. In late summer, the water is impossibly clear and the silence is the kind you only find when you've earned it. This trail is built for hikers who want to work for their solitude and don't mind sharing the shore with nothing but pikas.