Favorite Loop in Indian Peaks Wilderness Area?

**4estTrekker** · 07-11-2015, 20:25

Howdy, gang. I'm looking to hike 4 days/3 nights in the Indian Peaks WA the last week in August with my cousin. We're wondering what your favorite 4 day loop is? North Loop seems to be popular and is on our radar, but thought perhaps there's a nice little gem you've experienced. Thanks, all!

**trailryder42** · 07-12-2015, 12:34

I've only done the north loop but it was awesome. We hiked it counterclockwise. We stayed at Red Deer lake the first night, second night was at the beginning of the Cascade Creek section, nice campsite there. 3rd night spent at Pawnee Lake.

**4estTrekker** · 07-12-2015, 15:51

Thanks much, and my son and I studied/watched your whole trip report. Well done and thanks for the info! Did you find that your campsite selections gave you plenty of time to get down below treeline before the afternoon storms rolled in?

**Slowanderer** · 07-12-2015, 17:17

And what a fine hike it was. Thanks for the reminder trailryder42!

**trailryder42** · 07-12-2015, 19:24

Originally Posted by 4estTrekker

Thanks much, and my son and I studied/watched your whole trip report. Well done and thanks for the info! Did you find that your campsite selections gave you plenty of time to get down below treeline before the afternoon storms rolled in?

The places we camped, if you set out next morning by, like, 8am, it's not hard to make it up and over Buchanan and Pawnee Passes before afternoon rains. We were well down the backside of Buchanan on day 2 before it started to spit on us. If I remember right, our second night site was at the TH of another lake (I forget the name), but the area was pretty crappy, so we decided to hike another 3 miles to the beginning of Cascasde Creek and that's when it started in with some very light rain. The site was worth hiking the extra 3 miles for.

We saw rain behind us when we crested Pawnee but it never caught us. We had great weather.