USFS trail 478 climbs rather steeply from the trail head at ~ 5,400 feet to the first of the two Goat Lakes at ~ 6,100 feet and nearly two miles up the trail. It’s a very good trail, but does not provide the views that will be seen from Goat Lakes to the top of Silcox. I was pleased to see here that I was backtracking a cougar who had come down the trail some time during the night.
The rising sun has already flooded Eddy Mountain across the Clark For River valley in the Coeur d’Alene Mountains.
First glimpse of the high country above into which the trail leads.
Higher on the trail, scenes of the Coeur d’Alenes become much broader.
About half way to Goat Lakes, the forest opens up a bit along the trail.
Mountainside foliage as the trail approaches Goat Lakes.
As I reached the lower of the Goat Lakes, the sun was just beginning to touch the water.
Early morning sun and long shadows still on the lake.
Upper Goat Lake just beginning to awaken with the new day.
And then the trail begins to climb in earnest!
(To be continued…)
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