The hook
Up a one-lane road above Fallen Leaf Lake, two small lakes sit in a granite bowl, and the resort at the top has been selling the same lemonade for a century.
01Why it's worth it
The Angora Lakes are a lower and an upper lake in a glacial cirque above Fallen Leaf, named for a herd of Angora goats that once grazed the ridge. The upper lake is the reason to come: a warm-enough swimming lake backed by granite cliffs that people jump from, with a small resort of nine cabins that has run since 1917 and still rents them by the week. Day visitors come for the water and for the resort's fresh-squeezed lemonade, which has a reputation out of all proportion to a paper cup. It's a short, easy outing that feels like a secret it isn't quite, but the mile on foot thins the crowd and the setting does the rest.
02How to experience it
From Fallen Leaf Road, take the narrow Angora Ridge Road along the crest, past an old fire lookout site with a big view, to the small trailhead lot (it fills early on summer weekends). Walk the last mile up a gentle fire road to the lakes. Bring a swimsuit and some cash for the lemonade, and go on a weekday if you can. The road closes with snow, so this is a summer trip.