Four lakes or Naturalist

2eez4life

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Oct 10, 2018
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Current plans this weekend are to head into Naturalist Basin for 3 days 3 nights, but I'm also rolling the idea around of doing four lakes basin instead since I've never been there before.
Anyone want to chime in about their opinion of the best option here?
 
This early in the season, either would be great.
Four Lakes is a bit more compact, with it being set around some good, standard Uintas type cliffs. With the ice coming off and snow, I bet it is beautiful.
Naturalist might just get my vote at this time of year because there should be a dozen or more waterfalls from the upper to lower basin. That creek/meadow crossing on the way to Jordan at the junction will probably be underwater, (as will probably a few other meadows on the way to either Four Lakes or Naturalist).
If you are going that far to either basin, then I am sure your feet will be wet and muddy long before that though.
If you plan for Four Lakes and it is too much a slog, you could always just turn left and head up to Naturalist.

Tell us how it goes. I have plans to head into somewhere in the Uintas next Thursday afternoon.
 
This early in the season, either would be great.
Four Lakes is a bit more compact, with it being set around some good, standard Uintas type cliffs. With the ice coming off and snow, I bet it is beautiful.
Naturalist might just get my vote at this time of year because there should be a dozen or more waterfalls from the upper to lower basin. That creek/meadow crossing on the way to Jordan at the junction will probably be underwater, (as will probably a few other meadows on the way to either Four Lakes or Naturalist).
If you are going that far to either basin, then I am sure your feet will be wet and muddy long before that though.
If you plan for Four Lakes and it is too much a slog, you could always just turn left and head up to Naturalist.

Tell us how it goes. I have plans to head into somewhere in the Uintas next Thursday afternoon.
Rodger that. Thanks for the input. Will be hard to resist some transient waterfall action in Naturalist.
I will report back for sure. Especially on the question posed in the Uintas conditions thread regarding bugs.
 
Enjoy.
Bugs are relative, and vary by area depending on temp and how recent the ice came off...
Mud and walking through meadows and forest that are now streams are memories that live forever.
 
Enjoy.
Bugs are relative, and vary by area depending on temp and how recent the ice came off...
Mud and walking through meadows and forest that are now streams are memories that live forever.
Destination was Naturalist, Morat lakes. It was phenomenal with the waterfalls, weather events and the complete lack of bugs.
 
Excellent. Glad it was phenomenal! (I mean it is such a terrible place)

I am likely to find bugs at some point, but maybe I will be lucky.
It is also looking like some weather for this weekend too, which is always better.
I leave in 4-5 hours to somewhere undetermined, but not likely from that trailhead.
 
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