Lava Mountain Trail

Lava Mountain Trail - From the eastern trailhead, two lakes are within easy reach by day hikes. Smith Creek lake has the potential for good fishing, whereas North Star Lake does not, due to a muddy bottom. There are campsites at both lakes.  This trail is suitable for all uses. There are no sources of water west of North Star Lake.

From the eastern trailhead, the trail contours an open hillside, crosses a stream, and then drops down to a saddle at 0.4 miles. There is a rock cairn on the saddle where the trail splits.  At 1.3 miles, a trail goes off to the right (north) and within 0.1 miles is a large camp to the left. Just past this camp there is a tree to the right of the trail that says ""Smith Creek Trail, Prairie 15 miles.  At 2.1 miles, the trail comes to a steep short cut.

The main trail continues northwest and arrives at Smith Creek Lake at 2.3 miles. The trail then contours and meets the top of the short cut at 2.5 miles. The topo map show this steep short cut as the trail. There is no trail on the topo map to the lake. The trail gently climbs to the stream flowing out of Potter Lake at 2.8 miles. The trail then climbs steeply for 0.4 miles through an open forest, and then climbs gently to a ridge spur at 3.5 miles. The trail then drops down to a stream at 3.8 miles. From this stream, a side trail of about 0.1 miles climbs the hill to North Star Lake. The main trail drops slightly and arrives at the ridgetop and a trail at 5.7 miles. The trail follows the ridgetop, gently rising and falling, for 2.4 miles. At this point (8.1 miles), an unmarked trail drops off to the right.