Lake Darling Trail #52 - Cabinet Mtns, ID

Overview: Popular trail along the headwaters of Lightning Creek and Lake Darling. The first half of the trail to Lake Darling is easy, the second half of the trail up to the Pend Oreille Divide Trail is more strenuous.


Hike: The trail starts at the northwest end of the parking area and is well signed. Several signs are there to remind you that this is grizzly country. The trail is in excellent shape as it heads north. You'll quickly cross Gordon Creek, which has a bridge, then will turn northeast, roughly paralleling Lightning Creek below you on your right.The trail heads northeast, then north, gradually gaining elevation, before turning northwest as it approaches Lake Darling after just over two miles of hiking. At the lake, there are a couple of signs directing you north along the eastern edge of the lake, and you'll cross another bridge over Lightning Creek. There are a couple of campsites along the eastern edge of the lake, along with a bear locker and a picnic table and bench. Mount Pend Oreille is clearly visible to the west of the lake.

The trail follows the east side of the lake, then curves around to the north side of the lake. At this point, it is obvious that most of the trail traffic stops at the lake because the trail becomes narrower and less used. Numerous boardwalks cross the boggy areas, helping to keep your feet dry. There are several small creek crossings, but all were easy--might be more difficult in late spring with snowmelt. Vegetation encroaches on the trail for at least the next mile or so as you leave the lake behind and head west more steeply up the side of the ridge. In the autumn, most of the leaves had already fallen off the vegetation, so the trail was mostly clear, but in the summer, you would be pushing through some of these bushes. Pants, not shorts, are suggested because of this mile.

As you climb higher up the ridge, the vegetation clears away from the trail, but the trail becomes rockier and steeper as it approaches its terminus at the Pend Oreille Divide Trail #67. Once you reach the Divide Trail, make sure to step up on the rocks to the west about twenty feet ahead of you for some outstanding views of the Selle Valley and the Selkirk Mountains to the west. The Cabinet Mountains to the east are easily visible too. The hike back down Lake Darling Trail is easy, or you can head north or south on the Divide Trail for additional destinations.

2021-10-08 LindaAnn