Black Lake is a four mile hike up easy terrain on the Crystal Creek trail #500, so it's very popular. It can be done in a dayhike or overnight, but there are limited established campsites at the lake. Bring sunscreen because there's limited shade between the two ends of the lake.

Over the long Memorial day weekend, trail users included about 20 backpackers, 10 day hikers, 8 dogs, 4 horses, 3 goats, and perhaps a partridge in a pear tree. Most of the backpackers were fishing, but I only saw 4 trout caught on Saturday and Sunday despite much effort by determined anglers.

Although I'm a novice fisherman, I reeled in a nice 12 rainbow trout and shortly afterward another 8 inch rainbow using a 1/16 red and white spoon. I intended to catch and release after keeping the first for dinner, but the hook caught the small trout too close to his eye to release, so I quite fishing before I reeled in more than I could eat. Too bad for the more experienced fisherman with all the fancy gear, the trout weren't impressed. Beginner luck is real. Black Lake is selective gear only.

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