Homer Lake is one of three local hidden lakes. It’s one of the many secret gems among the locals, and one of my personal favorites. It’s where I fell in love camping with my future (now present) husband. It’s where I have found peace and serenity on days the world is too chaotic. It’s now where we take our toddler when we feel like making a day trip. It’s perfect.
There used to be a road all the way to the lake but that road was over run by nature long ago. Now you can drive up to a certain spot, park, and follow the hiking trail the rest of the route which is just over a mile. Since Homer Lake is a Special Interest Area there is no motor vehicle access allowed.
The hike is a fun spiral up and down the mountain and then through some bushes you’ll find the most beautiful lake just sitting, waiting for you.
The trail wraps around the lake among tall grass, trees, and rocks, creating a fun setting to explore. The lake itself is made up of snow melt so a dip in it is always a bit cold and refreshing. The water is so clear you can see the many crawdads playing on the bottom.
On one of our recent adventures to Homer Lake we got a flat tire on the bumpy ride up. “I know that noise,” stated my husband Dan, pulling the car over. Dan made sure we were parked on level ground and got right to work, I could hear him mutter to himself, but he was happy we had our TreadHunter spare tire with us. Vivian, our daughter, didn’t mind jumping on daddy’s back to help out and make sure he was doing it right. She enjoyed the fresh air and exploring the mountains as much as we did. It wasn’t long before we were back on the road, hiking, and exploring again.
Wherever you hike, make sure you’re prepared for all possibilities and always take care of the area, making sure you don’t leave anything (especially trash) behind. Let’s leave nature the way it is intended to be, natural.
