Hidden Lake

Hidden Lake is a small lake tucked into the eastern slope of Mt Rose and Slide Mountain. Accessed via a 1 mile hike that follows rough double track as well as makeshift paths off trail, the lake offers a chance to escape into very easily accessed backcountry where you likely won't encounter another person.

While there are no signed trails, Hidden Lake instead lies in the backcountry of Mt Rose where a large network of forest roads, single and double track exist, allowing those up for exploring to access a lot of areas of interest while most of the crowd sticks to the marked paths a little higher up the mountain or lower near Galena Regional Park.

Beginning at a small gravel turnout along Mt Rose Highway, the route to Hidden Lake follows a clear ORV road that climbs and weaves into the forest. Unfortunately you won't escape the highway noise here, but a couple hundred feet in the road is hidden by the dense forest landscape and it feels further away from the traffic you just left behind. There is a network of forest roads with unsigned forks in the forest here, so it's best to have some navigation to help stick to the correct route. 

A few turns and small ascents and descents bring you to the moraine formed cove where the lake sits. Depending on seasonal conditions, hiking around the lake might be as easy as walking a path at its side or may require you to blaze an off trail path through the rocks and brush. Ongoing fire remediation efforts and the seasonal nature of the area being hikeable or completely buried by snow haven contributed to a lack of fixed hiking trails and just means you may need to find your own way from point A to point B at times.

Enjoy the lake, as well as the sounds of the breeze blowing through the trees and nearby stream cascades, before returning to the forest roads and heading back toward the highway.

There are no amenities along the hike. Parking is at a small gravel pullout. While often empty, occasional vehicles may drive along portions of this hike.