Bench Lake Trail

You will need 4wd and high clearance to get to the trailhead, just north of the parking area, The trail slowly wanders through the desert and finally begins to climb next to the creek for about 3 miles. Shortly thereafter is the first creek crossing, which by far is the most challenging. Poles are a must. There is a small single person tent site on the north side of the crossing. On the other side of the crossing, the terrain begins to transition into a cooler forest. There are several small additional crossings in the next 2-3 miles. There are several camping areas on the way as well. At higher elevation, the trail is often covered in snow and requires either poles or an ice axe to climb. Beware of weakened snow bridges over top of the creek, as these will soften considerably in the afternoon heat. Right below the pass is Taboo creek, which is one of the most spectacular parts of the hike. After some additional ascent, you will see the signpost for Taboose pass. A larger sign is broken next to it. The trail then descends about 1000 feet, again with the trail 80-90% snow covered, with several creek crossings. Another formidable creek crossing leads to a sign indicating the 1.7 mi Bench Lake Trail. Bench lake was beautiful, with many fish, as are the additional lakes on the way. Overall a great hike, but requires solid skills in route finding, use of ice axe, creek crossings, and general understanding of snow travel.