Most of the lakes on Boulder Mountain would be considered very remote if not for the fact that there are very few that are more than 3 miles from where you can park a vehicle. With recent improvements in primitive backroads, these remote lakes are becoming more accessible than ever before. Still, this is very rugged country by any standard and 3 miles from the trailhead can seem like 100 miles when it is uphill over a steep talus slope to the rim and another 2 miles through deadfall spruce and boulders to the truck! Many diehard anglers are undeterred by the hardships of this type of arduous trek in their quest for trophy brook trout!

As you approach this lake after a tough downhill hike it looks very promising indeed. A floattube would be quite handy here. But considering the effort to get back to your vehicle the extra weight is just not worth the trouble for a day trip like this. At this point there is still a hike ahead of you to get to the water....and the fish.

As you get closer, the prospect of casting from the shore is looking much better. This is typical of many Boulder Mountain lakes. Tucked up under the rim, surrounded by deadfall and boulders. Some have primitive roads that reach the lake. The term "primitive" hardly describes these so called roads. It is really a misnomer. What they are is a modified burro trail at best! If you wish to drive your new SUV up one of these trails, it won't be quite so new when and if you get it back to the paved highway. Better come with a totally jacked up Moab ready offroad screamin machine for a go at one of these steep boulder strewn trails......good luck! They don't call this place Boulder Mountain for nothing! As tough as some of these hikes look from the pictures, they're not anywhere near as tough as the "roads".

Any reasonably sane guide will be reticent about such a retchid plan like four wheelin' up the road to the lake This guide is more than reluctant to do it! However, if you are willing to take your time and hike a few miles on a trail through the forest to get to a beautiful lake like this, your efforts will usually be rewarded. Choosing the right lake to hike into is the key though. Some remote lakes are rarely fished and can be in a state of decline when you happen upon them. Lakes that are stocked with brook trout will invariably peak and then crash. This is especially true about lakes in the backcountry that receive little pressure from anglers. Knowing which lakes are holding larger trout and which are in decline and holding stunted populations due to overcrowding is crucial. This is a problem concerning brook trout and the lakes of Boulder Mountain. 

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