Starting Point: Locked gate at Budget Flat. Badger Flat is 6 miles
down the dirt road which leaves the Park Road at
Guide Marker 41
Distances: First Cluster Lake, 2 miles; second, 2.5; Silver
Lake, 3; Big Bear Lake, 4, one way
Topography: Uphill 200 feet on a gradual grade
Time: Round trips: 2½, 3, 4 and 5 hours respectively
Features: Lakes, forest, flowers
[Illustration: Trail map]
This group of six lakes is easily reached by the trail from Badger Flat.
Mule-ears (wyethia) puts on a magnificent display in Badger Flats, and
falsehellebore is prevalent in places. Spreading phlox is especially
attractive in late June and early July along the beginning of the trail,
and paintbrush further up, along with Newberry penstemon or
pride-of-the-mountains.
The trail passes through open forested areas in a relatively level
section of Lassen. After passing the second lake the trail forks. The
left trail goes to Silver Lake. The trail continues over rather level
terrain past Feather Lake to Lower Twin Lake, another 2 miles.
From Big Bear Lake the trail continues 3.5 miles to Summit Lake,
crossing two ridges on the way.