Black Pool

Time to find something out of the way that we had never been to before. I had heard that Black Pool is best to do late in the season because you have to cross Spruce Creek. Seemed like a good destination. Surprisingly, there is a trail down to Spruce Creek from the first switchback above the Pool, a relatively easy way to cross the creek, and a faint path up to Black Pool on the other side.

Pockets of aspen dot the mountainsides. You never know when you are going to turn the corner on another glowing stand.

We saw and heard lots of elk as we were heading back down to the Fern Lake trailhead. But back at the Y, at the puddle across from Dorsey Lake, two young bull elk were sparring, trying to perfect their moves for another year.