The Twenty Mile Lakes Trail is remote, rugged, and offers the perfect mix of beauty and challenge. The route climbs steadily through forest, creek crossings, and fire-scarred terrain, with plenty of technical sections and bushwhacking that test both endurance and patience. It’s not always easy to stay on trail, so navigation is a must, and bear spray is highly recommended. While the remoteness can feel isolating, the reward is huge, with two stunning alpine lakes at the turnaround that make every scratch, stumble, (and losing my sunglasses) worth it. This area is packed with mountains and incredible trails, yet there are very few established FKT routes, which is why I felt called to put this one on the map. I also believe it’s important to see more women not only going after FKTs, but creating the routes themselves, and this felt like the perfect place to start.
