Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 2 miles round-trip
Elevation Gain: 700 feet
Season: Late July-September
Location: Anthony Lake area (1 hour from Baker City)
Notes: Rough access road.
We discovered this hike accidentally when we made a wrong turn and it was such a fun hike! Our kids thought it was so neat to hike to the summit of a mountain, which is something you can't often accomplish with 4 little kids on a mile trail.
From the summit you have views of Anthony, Lilly Pad, Hoffer and Crawfish Lake.
The trail is well marked and although it is very steep, most of the route is easy to navigate even with younger kids.
Once you near the summit, there's a bit of scrambling involved to reach the top. My older kids loved this last segment! We opted to keep the dog and 3-year old a little further down from the summit with one parent while the other took up the older kids. I felt confident bringing my 6, 8 and 10 year old up to the summit, but wouldn't recommended bringing toddlers or preschool age kids up here without a 1-1 adult to child ratio.
From the trailhead you have beautiful views of Gunsight (off the left and not in this photo), Angell, Lees and Lakes Lookout (far right) peaks.
Getting There: Follow Anthony Lakes highway up to the ski resort. From here you have a few options.
If you don't own a vehicle that can handle rough roads, schedule your hike for a day the chair lift is running and you can ride the ski lift up to the top. Take a short hike down the hill (maybe 100 yards) and then continue straight along the road (don't turn right and go downhill). You'll reach a fork with marked signs and you want to take the trail on the left to Lakes Lookout.
From Anthony Lakes you can drive up the ski resort. "Road Run" is off to your left and winds up the mountain. On weekends, this road does have quite a bit of traffic and it's a one-way road, so drive cautiously and keep an eye out for other vehicles and mountain bikers. This is a rough road. When you reach the top, park by the fences and then proceed along that same road (don't turn right and go downhill). You'll reach a fork with marked signs and you want to take the trail on the left to Lakes Lookout.
Another option is the back road, which does have less traffic than driving up the ski resort. This is also a rough road. Drive past Anthony Lakes ski resort and approx. 3 miles down the road take a left onto forest service road 210. There is a sign marking that this is the turn for the Crawfish Basin Trailhead 1612 (*Note- this is not the access point for the Crawfish Lake Trail). Continue up the road for 2 miles until you reach the ridge. Park near the fences and then take the road to the right. You'll reach a fork with marked signs and you want to take the trail on the left to Lakes Lookout.
