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  White Pine Lane, 20 July, 2025

Twelve hikers enjoyed a pleasant day cooling off at higher elevations on this popular trail. The first part of the trail is shared with the Naomi Peak Trail, which branches off to the left at 0.3 mile. Continuing on the trail to the right, we walked through sagebrush meadows and aspen and conifer communities until we reached the high point, a saddle that is 2.4 miles from the trailhead. We had great views of Mount Gog and the cliffs above White Pine Lake. At this point, four hikers decided to return to the trailhead/parking area for a shorter hike. The remaining eight people hiked another 1.4 miles, descending into White Pine Canyon and crossing White Pine Creek before reaching the lake for lunch. The climb out of White Pine Canyon to the saddle was notably steeper than the climb from the trailhead to the saddle.

Mid-July is typically the peak time for wildflowers to bloom in open sagebrush meadows and in aspen and conifer understories along the trail. We observed numerous species, including: geraniums, Indian paintbrush, scarlet gilia, clematis, columbine, Engelmann’s aster, jacobs ladder, American bistort, buckwheat, cone flower, heartleaf arnica, cinquefoil, mountain bluebell, penstemons, tall larkspur, and sawleaf senecio. While eating lunch at the lake we heard several bird species, including a brown creeper and a hairy woodpecker.

Trip Summary:
  • 12 hikers: Jim R., Dee, Susan, Kathy, Ralph, Dave P, Sue, Bruce, Jim, Laurel, Linda, and Chris (leader).
  • Drove 26 miles to Tony Grove Lake parking area; on the trail by 9:05; stopped for lunch at White Pine Lake (11:15 – 11:40); arrived back at parking area at 1:40.
  • About 7.7 miles round trip with an elevation gain of ~700 feet (both ways).
  • Sunny skies with moderate temperatures.

Thanks to Chris for the narrative and photos, Dave P for photos, and Ralph for photos and GPS data.

The junction with the Tony Grove Nature Trail at the beginning of the hike
Hiking north from Tony Grove Lake

Meadow with wildflowers


Mount Magog
 On the trail

Little sunflowers

Approaching the saddle

Limber pine trees at the saddle
Mount Gog from the saddle

White Pine Lake, panorama view, with Mount Magog on the south (left) and cliffs west of the lake (center)

Our lunch spot on the east shore of White Pine Lake


Paintbrush Fleabane

Hairy clematis
 Shrubby cinquefoil
Geraniums

Lovage
 Cornlily

Bistort
 Twinberry

Larkspur
 Balsamroot

Horse mint
 Coyote mint


Jacob's ladder
 Starwort
Bluebells
 Scarlet gilia


Buckwheat
 Rose

Distorted aspens, caused when the young trees were compacted under the snow

Our GPS track shows about 7.7 miles and 1400 feet of total ascent.
You can look at our route using Google Earth or download our GPS file.