desolation wilderness camping

Obkook, another option that might fit your criteria is Leavitt Lake on the east side of Sonora Pass. It's a light 4WD road to the lake where you have primitive camping available. There are 3 other lakes within walking distance. All have great fishing, but you can only really get a yak into Leavitt. One of the nearby lakes is like a sure-catch golden trout hatchery!

One of the nearby lakes is like a sure-catch golden trout hatchery!

Love the CA Golden Trout! Don't hold out on me, brother, WHICH ONE?? 

Seriously though, that does look like a great option. Thanks for the tip.

Peter

One of the nearby lakes is like a sure-catch golden trout hatchery!

Love the CA Golden Trout! Don't hold out on me, brother, WHICH ONE?? 

Ooooh yeah.  I'm so there.  Never caught a golden before. 

Haha, well I guess you just gotta fish all 4 and find out which one.

Haha, well I guess you just gotta fish all 4 and find out which one.

I wanted to post a quick report of our camping trip as a way to thank the people who posted suggestions. 

We (I) decided on Wrights Lake mainly due to the fact that it was almost half the drive time as the lakes up at Lassen Volcanic NP.  I've been in the car a lot these last few weeks and didn't want to drive much. 

Wrights Lake is very picturesque and my wife and girls really liked it.  The no motors on the lake rule was nice because it kept the lake mellow and quiet.  The girls were free to swim anywhere without us worrying.  Even though they stocked the lake last Monday we didn't catch any trout because all I brought were mini nightcrawlers.  It probably didn't help that we were either sleeping or back at camp during "the bite" hours. 

My daughter asked me to wake her to see the meteor showers so with her bundled in a sleeping bag we both laid down on the picnic table.  She saw three in about five minutes before she decided it was too cold.  My wife and I stayed up a bit and caught a nice cluster of them seeing seven in about two minutes. 

The rest of the trip was spent swimming and hiking.  We did stop by the picnic area of Bridal Vail falls for a swim before hitting the road home. 

Oh...definition of Irony:

I did learn one lesson while camping that I wanted to share with everyone.  The outhouse toilet closest to our campsite was just nasty.  It stunk so bad that my eyes would water.  I'd gag and dry heave by the time I make it out the door.  So on the last night I had the brilliant idea of bringing a shovel full of embers into the outhouse with me.  I figure it'd be like lighting a match or candle in the bathroom at home.  As I'm walking up with my shovel I rip some pine needles from a tree figuring that they would impart that pine fresh scent.  I put the shove on the floor and add the needles then get down to business.  For the first minute the outhouse was transformed and it was downright pleasant in a smokey pine fresh way. Unfortunately I was in there for about 4 minutes and by minute #3 it got so smokey that I was having a hard time breathing through my doubled over shirt.  Ironic, huh?  By the time I got out of there I was coughing up a storm.  The smokey pine freshness had given way to smoke so thick I could barely make out the door with my mag light from five feet away.  I burst out the door coughing and once again...gagging. 

Nate

I wanted to post a quick report of our camping trip as a way to thank the people who posted suggestions. 

We (I) decided on Wrights Lake mainly due to the fact that it was almost half the drive time as the lakes up at Lassen Volcanic NP.  I've been in the car a lot these last few weeks and didn't want to drive much. 

Wrights Lake is very picturesque and my wife and girls really liked it.  The no motors on the lake rule was nice because it kept the lake mellow and quiet.  The girls were free to swim anywhere without us worrying.  Even though they stocked the lake last Monday we didn't catch any trout because all I brought were mini nightcrawlers.  It probably didn't help that we were either sleeping or back at camp during "the bite" hours. 

My daughter asked me to wake her to see the meteor showers so with her bundled in a sleeping bag we both laid down on the picnic table.  She saw three in about five minutes before she decided it was too cold.  My wife and I stayed up a bit and caught a nice cluster of them seeing seven in about two minutes. 

The rest of the trip was spent swimming and hiking.  We did stop by the picnic area of Bridal Vail falls for a swim before hitting the road home. 

Oh...definition of Irony:

I did learn one lesson while camping that I wanted to share with everyone.  The outhouse toilet closest to our campsite was just nasty.  It stunk so bad that my eyes would water.  I'd gag and dry heave by the time I make it out the door.  So on the last night I had the brilliant idea of bringing a shovel full of embers into the outhouse with me.  I figure it'd be like lighting a match or candle in the bathroom at home.  As I'm walking up with my shovel I rip some pine needles from a tree figuring that they would impart that pine fresh scent.  I put the shove on the floor and add the needles then get down to business.  For the first minute the outhouse was transformed and it was downright pleasant in a smokey pine fresh way. Unfortunately I was in there for about 4 minutes and by minute #3 it got so smokey that I was having a hard time breathing through my doubled over shirt.  Ironic, huh?  By the time I got out of there I was coughing up a storm.  The smokey pine freshness had given way to smoke so thick I could barely make out the door with my mag light from five feet away.  I burst out the door coughing and once again...gagging. 

Nate

damn nate, that's just wrong   

 

Nate, I am so glad to hear you went to Wrights! I started going there when I was 6 months old and I'll be 57 in November. Those are the new toilets that were put in not so long ago. I always put a rock to keep the door open when not in use. That ammonia will kick your ass. I have so many pictures of us diving off that rock by the picnic area its not funny. If you ever want to go up there again lets hook-up and I will show you some trails to the upper lakes that will knock your socks off. Craig

Craig,

Thanks for the recommendation and the offer to show me some of those other lakes.  It's definitely an area we want to revisit.  I'll post up a hookup when we find the time.

Nate