Starting Point: Guide Marker 2
Distances: Forest Lake, 1.5 miles; Brokeoff Mountain, 3.7
miles. Total round trip 7.4 miles
Topography: Uphill—Forest Lake, 700 feet; Brokeoff Mountain,
2600 feet
Time: Forest Lake, 2½ hours; Brokeoff Mountain, 5 hours
Features: Scenic views, flowers, streams
[Illustration: Trail map]
For sheer beauty and rugged mountain scenery the Brokeoff trail is one
of the best in Lassen. From the entrance station it climbs steadily
through open meadows and forest for two miles and then through the
scattered hemlocks and finally above timberline to the top. Forest Lake
is near the trail, and is a good objective for a leisurely nature walk.
A wide variety of wildflowers will be found changing with the seasons,
and the Brewer mountainheath produces an outstanding display. Birds
frequently seen include juncos, chickadees, western tanagers,
flycatchers, and a number of others. Deer are common.
Beyond Forest Lake the forest becomes more open. At the west end of the
mountain just before the last half mile of climb, there is a good view
of Mt. Shasta. From the top of the mountain there are good views of
Lassen Peak, Conard, Chaos Crags, Diller, Shasta, and other mountains of
the vicinity. Also, the view of the old Tehama caldera is excellent from
this point.
Pikas are sometimes seen among the rocks near the top, and marmots among
the rocks at lower elevations.
Snow is likely to be found in places along the trail until about
mid-August, and there is usually too much snow for climbing before
mid-July.
[Illustration: Mountain Chickadee]