Lillian Lake Loop Trip Data: 37.56303ºN, 119.36065ºW (Lillian Lake outlet); 12.2 miles; 3 days Topos: Timber Knob Highlights: Nestled beneath Madera, Gale, and Sing peaks, just southwest of Yosemite National Park, the many lakes and easy mileage on this trip provide ample opportunity for exploring, fishing, and dayhiking in Ansel Adams Wilderness. The lakes along this loop rival the diversity offered in any Sierran lake basin around the 9,000-foot mark. The 12.2-mile distance includes only the main loop, but budget in hiking an additional 2-5 miles for detours to Lady Lake or Chittenden Lake or to more fully explore Lillian Lake. Day 1 (Fernandez Trailhead to Vanderburgh Lake, 4.
3 miles): Two trails depart from the parking area at the end of FS 5S05, the Walton Trail and the Fernandez Trail. You will be departing along the Fernandez Trail, located along the western side of the parking area, and returning along the Walton Trail, located at the northern tip of the parking area. Both are signposted with their respective names. Departing west along the Fernandez Trail, you pass through a typical mid-elevation Sierran forest: white fir, Jeffrey pine, and lodgepole pine in the flats and draws and scrubby huckleberry oak on open sandy slopes where slabs lie near the surface. A gentle ascent across morainal slopes leads to the lower end of a small meadow, where you reach a junction with an easily missed and little-used trail that branches left (southwest) and meanders 1.15 miles to the Norris Trailhead; here your route bends to the right. Beyond the junction your trail''s gradient becomes a moderate one and red fir quickly begin to replace white fir. The forest then temporarily yields to brush as you struggle up short, steep gravelly switchbacks below a small, exfoliating dome.
The slope becomes steeper yet near where you enter Ansel Adams Wilderness, and you now have a steady pull up to a near-crest junction. Merging from the left is a steep trail that also leads to the Norris Trailhead. Again staying right (west), you continue a moderate ascent of the Fernandez Trail for a few more minutes to a crest junction. Here, find a signed junction with the Lillian Lake loop: The right (east) fork would be the most direct route to Lillian Lake itself, while left (west) leads there via Vanderburgh Lake, the Staniford Lakes, and the many other lakes in the Madera Creek drainage; you take the latter option. This trail''s next 2 miles are generally easy. Conifers shade your way first past a waist-deep pond, on your right, then later past two often-wet, moraine-dammed, flower-filled meadows. Beyond, the trail climbs to a bedrock notch in a granitic crest. Turning around, you enjoy your first views of the San Joaquin drainage, including dark-colored, pyramidal-shaped Mount Goddard, nearly 50 miles southeast in Kings Canyon National Park.
On the crest you arc around a stagnant pond and then make a short descent to Madera Creek. Note, that there is much confusion--and probably sloppiness--in the spelling of Vanderburgh Lake in both official and unofficial sources. For years the name was spelled Vandeberg on maps, but the most recent (online) USGS topo maps are using Vanderburgh, matching the spelling of its namesake, Chester M. Vanderburgh, a Fresno-area physician who enjoyed stock trips to the area. However, alternative spellings, including Vandenberg, abound online. From Madera Creek, the trail curves west past good to excellent campsites along the lake''s north shore, where, steep, granitic Peak 9,852-feet, on Madera Peak''s northeast ridge, is reflected in the lake''s placid early-morning waters as you cast for brook or rainbow trout. If you are trying to decide which of the many nearby lakes to camp at, this is the lowest elevation and most forested of the choices, making it more or less appealing based on your predilection. Day 2 (Vanderburgh Lake to Lillian Lake, 1.
9 miles): This short but sweet hiking day gives you a chance to admire the views, discover the lakes, fish, and maybe even bag a peak. At the west end of Vanderburgh Lake, climb bedrock to the edge of a lodgepole flat that has a junction with a trail to Lady Lake, well worth the easy detour. Beyond, the trail crosses a lodgepole flat and then climbs a couple of hundred feet on fairly open granitic slabs to a ridge. Here you can stop and appreciate the skyline panorama from the Minarets south to the Mount Goddard area. Descending northwest on a moderate to steep gradient, you reach an easily missed junction, where a small sign indicates that you turn left to reach Chittenden Lake. The junction is soon after the gradient has lessened and right where the main trail bends farther to the east (right). Continuing northeast, just 0.1 mile past the Chittenden Lake Trail junction you see a Staniford lake.
A waist-deep, grass-lined lakelet, this water body is not the Staniford Lake that attracts attention. Instead, continue a few more steps until you come to a trailside pond atop a broad granitic crest. In this vicinity you can leave the trail and descend southeast briefly cross-country on low-angle slabs to the largest of the Staniford Lakes, lying at 8,708 feet. This large, mostly shallow lake is wonderful for swimming, sometimes warming up to the low 70s in early August. The great bulk of the lake is less than 5 feet deep, with its only deep spot being at a diving area along the west shore. Among the slabs you can find sandy camp spots. More ponds, still part of the Staniford Lakes cluster, are seen along the northbound Lillian Lake Loop Trail before it dips into a usually dry gully. It then traverses diagonally up along a ridge of glacier-polished slabs and truly outstanding views to the Ritter Range and the entire San Joaquin drainage--your best views yet.
You cross the nose of the ridge and then quickly descend to Lillian Lake''s outlet creek. Just beyond is a junction with the spur trail around Lillian Lake''s eastern and northern shores (8,870''; 37.56303ºN, 119.36065ºW). A myriad of use trails dive into the beautiful, dense hemlock forest ringing Lillian Lake''s northeastern shore. Camping is prohibited within 400 feet of the northeastern shoreline, but if you continue about 0.25 mile to the north, you will encounter a series of well-used, but splendid sites set sufficiently back from the lake. There also are two sites on the lake''s southern shore.
Because it''s the largest and deepest lake you''ll pass along this hike, Lillian Lake is also the coldest, and with its large brook and rainbow trout population is attractive to anglers. Other Nearby Lakes Lady Lake: A spur trail takes off south (left) and climbs gently to moderately 0.6 mile to Lady Lake. As you walk along the outlet creek, about halfway to the lake, you will note an unsigned trail departing right away from the creek. From here, right leads to a large campsite above the north shore of the lake, while left leads to the east-shore moraine that juts into the lake, with an even better campsite. If you miss this cryptic junction, don''t worry because you will most certainly realize when you''ve reached the shore of granite-rimmed, 8,908-foot-high Lady Lake and can follow the shore between the two trail-ends. Both of these campsites are ideal for large groups--one of the few subalpine lakes that accommodates many tents without environmental concerns. Chittenden Lake: 9,182-foot-high Chittenden Lake, the highest of the lakes in the vicinity, is reached by a 1.
0 mile spur trail. The trail leads west then northwest from the shelf holding the Staniford Lakes. After climbing open slabs, the trail sidles up to the eastern bank of Shirley Creek. Stepping across the creek, the trail turns sharply south (left), continues briefly under forest cover, and then traverses open slabs. Across here there is no indication of a trail--just continue due south, and before long the lake comes into view. If there are more than two backpackers in your group, don''t plan to camp at this lake, because flat space is really at a premium. The best site is on the ridge east of the lake, boasting absolutely stunning views. Day 3 (Lillian Lake to Walton Trailhead, 6.
0 miles): Lillian Lake is the last of the lakes along this loop, and from the lake''s outlet, the trail descends a forested mile east to a two-branched creek with easy fords. After a short, stiff climb over a gravelly knoll, the trail descends to a junction on a fairly open slope. Here the Lillian Lake Loop Trail ends and you rejoin the Fernandez Trail, on which you turn right (south). The forest cover quickly thickens and the trail enters a dense forest glade situated in a shallow trough. You are next routed back onto a ridgeline, an old moraine. Drier and sandier again, the trail follows the moraine crest to its end before switchbacking back to the drainage below. Soon you then reach a junction with the trail up Timber Creek. Though the junction itself is signposted and obvious, the unmaintained trail rapidly deteriorates, helped on its path to oblivion by abundant uncleared tree falls.
Staying right, you continue the downward trajectory beneath forest cover, quickly reaching a junction in a sandy flat, where the Fernandez Trail forks right and the Walton Trail leads to the left. Given these two trails lead to the same parking area and both are 3.15 miles in length, it is up to you which you take, though the Walton Trail requires less elevation gain, has more open views, and takes you through all new terrain--hence it is the route described here. Turning left and walking through the open flat, along which there are many camping options, you soon cross Madera Creek. A possible wade under the highest of flows, this crossing becomes a rock hop by mid-summer and c.