Title: March 5, 2026 - FINS to Lost Lake
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Animals : Flowers and Plants
Type: Hiking
Trail head: FINS Parking area
Trail: Lost Lake
Destination: End of trail
Actual Destination: Most of trail until it got muddy
Distance: 5.41 miles
Start Time: 7:35
End Time: 10:29
Travel Time: 2:52 (1.89 mph)
Moving Time: 2:19 (2.33 mph)
Elevation Rise: 354 '
Descent: 304‘
Maximum Elevation: 325'
Minimum Elevation: 270'
I got out of bed at 5:30 and was on the road to the Sportsman store by 6:45, arriving a few minutes before 7:00. Jerry of the Central Valley Hiking Group has organized this hike and is there right at 7:00. The other hiker here is Lucia. That is all which we have going with us. Three others dropped out. I drove us to the FINS near Friant.
Jerry assures us that this would be a hike I can do in my tennis shoes. I still bring along my poles-I feel more stable with them. I have not done this hike before, so I am interested in doing the trail. Plus Jerry assures me that this will be an easy hike-I think it should be. The last time I hiked with Jerry, I struggled.
 |
| Maybe a flume? |
We do not really walk by the
river, rather behind some bushes which line the river. Occasionally
there are holes in the line of bushes which gives us a chance to peer
into the river environs. One of the benefits of walking this early is
that the sunlight gets filtered, making the colors accentuated. Lots
of yellows and greens. Then there are the geese and ducks which flock
on both banks.
There becomes a standing joke that someone will give some money if they walk on some plants which line our side of the river. Even though sometimes these plants look pretty solid, they are floating on water. Nobody takes the offer, but if someone did, they would be taking it with a splash.
We also see lots of mistletoe in the trees-they look pretty healthy. Many of the trees look like they are still in Winter mode as we do not even see the start of leaves. Still there is enough foliage for us to enjoy a pleasant morning.
 |
| Lucia and Jerry |
We got a ways down the trail when we needed to cross over a semi-fallen tree. Then, to go with the steeplechase motif, the trail turns muddy. Jerry looks ahead and it does not look very promising. We turned around rather than slosh through the slime.
Jerry had wanted to make it a loop by following the trail to the end. There it would go up the 50’ bank. We would then have a view of the snowy mountains to the east. We returned the same way we came until we came to a use trail up the slope and we followed it. This puts us at the sixth hole of the frisbee golf course. This looks over a gravel pit. We had a discussion about where we lose the lake? Turns out that the large gravel pit is where Lost Lake resides when there is water in it.
We go back down our use trail and quickly come back to the campground. We stopped for a few minutes at a picnic bench by the river. Then off we go again. We do not stop nearly as often going back as we did coming in. Still, we enjoyed the walk. I surprised myself as I still had a pretty bouncing step rather than my usual walks lately where the last mile the feet are dragging.
 |
| Mosaic Stairway |
Jerry was hoping the fish hatchery would be open and we would walk through it. While the gate was open, the other end did not look promising. But there is a last bit of eye candy. Those stairs we came down? Going up we can see that there is a mosaic mural which comes into view as we face it. Not only is there one, but there is another on the steps below us and another above the one showing.
We get back to the car and I drive everyone back to the Sportsman store. When I get home, it is just past 11, right when I said I would be home by. While a little tired, I still was able to work on our patio renovation in the afternoon.
Extra Photo's
 |
| Interesting stone building at Lost Lake |
 |
| A bunch of purple flowers across the San Joaquin, maybe lupine |
 |
| Jerry and Lucia |
 |
| Interesting river plant life |
Animals
Flowers and Plants
