Square: Weston Lake

Fremont-Winema National Forest

DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3

Green line for day 3. Click for interactive map

The last day being out to "see the square wilderness" would generally be completing the loop and getting back to the car. There's no lakes along the trail and most the views one might expect were already had on other days. It looked to be a comparatively boring day. First up, the climb I had already done with its increasing views of Klamath Lake.

Klamath Lake in a different light.

Past the ridge line where the Aspen Butte Trail heads up, the trail flattens out a bit as it wanders gently downward through a changing forest. There are opportunities to step to the side for a view to the north.

Obscured views from the trail.

The forest gets more open over the rocky slope.

Lake Harriette above Klamath Lake through a different valley.

I came to the well signed Clover Cutoff that people use for day hiking Aspen Bluff. On the map, it takes a pretty direct route downward somewhat parallel to the wiggling loop trail which I found quite steep enough as I dropped further. There's very nearly meadows carpeted in little pinemat manzanita as it somewhat levels off before climbing again to the junction with the Clover Creek Trail. These two well used trails combine to be the southern entry to the ring trail in the wilderness.

"Pines" (mostly mountain hemlocks and firs and possibly no pines at all) and pinemat and a view of the coming ridge.

Climbing again among the rocky areas that extend on up to the ridge above.

I arrived at the top of the ridge, finishing the loop. There was nothing more than to take the long walk back down to the car. First, watch a few birds poking at the cones at the top.

A Clark's nutcracker works along the cones of a long dead tree.

On down the trail.

Red-breasted nuthatch in the nuthatch pose.

Today's Mount McLoughlin view.

I decided that what would make this day more interesting is a little more new things to see and there should be plenty of time to work my way up to the lakes past Lake Waban, the mudhole I had visited on the way up. I had noted the state of the forest in the area and was taking into account the rather large amount of deadwood one has to navigate to get there. It wasn't easy, but I made it to the largest, Weston Lake.

Besides the deadfall, there's a rumpled landscape with plenty of scattered rocks to navigate.

One last bunch of sticks to navigate to get to Weston Lake.

A lone mallard paddles away quickly.

Weston Lake is not so big as the map says. With part full of reeds, it has a bit of a different feel from Lake Waban on the way.

A little bit around from the first entry point at Weston Lake.

I didn't manage the desire to continue on to Fite Lake, the higher one, but did manage to turn around to check out the smaller one a little down the hill. This lake sat in the bottom of a deep hole, giving it a distinct character from the other two.

A camping spot found along the short distance between lakes.

Many large rainbow trout patrolled these waters.

Just a little pothole of a lake.

I headed back to Lake Waban and besides one cairn, saw no indication of any kind of trail between the lakes.

Back at Lake Waban, but this time on the far side from the trail entry and with Greylock Mountain in view.

A little further around and Whiteface Peak is visible.

Stepping stones to get to the water some time ago.

Then I continued down the trail noting the leaves turning colors on this last day of summer.

Yellowing leaves in the dry creek.

More yellowing leaves along the trail.

One big tree along the trail among the little trees.

I saw no one on or off the trail on this Monday. My car that had joined two others at the trailhead was now alone. Happily, it was completely undisturbed even though I did indeed leave it unlocked. Doh again.


*photo album*




©2026 Valerie Norton
Published 11 Nov 2026