Welcome to the Clutes Lake hiking trail! It is a 3.5 km loop, the shortest of the Abes & Essens Lake trail loops. Like the name suggests, it takes you around Clutes Lake.
Although it is the shortest and least difficult of the three loops, it is still considered a moderate to difficult hike. The trail is easy to follow, and they do have very helpful markers along the way, but it is rough and steep at times.
There are multiple points along the trail where you can see the lake, but the best view is from the bridge about halfway through the hike.
Clutes Lake, from opposite sides:
The trail itself is beautiful. One of my favourite parts was all the boulders! I wish I’d had someone there to take a picture of me on top of this one.
We even got to see a racoon in the middle of the day. Not the most exciting wildlife, I know… But since I’m always hiking with Aiko, he normally scares off all the wildlife before I can take a picture!
I thoroughly enjoyed this hike! I hope to make it back in the future and finish the Abes Lake and Essens Lake loops too!