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+ 41

Opabin Prospect Out-and-Back

Hiking Trail

Hard
2.42 mi
738 ft
The most direct route to the single best viewpoint over Lake O'Hara.

If you don’t have time for the full Lake O’Hara Alpine Circuit, or if you just want the quickest hike to an epic photo location, here it is. Opabin Prospect is a rock ledge jutting out to a jaw-dropping view over Lake O’Hara and its neighbor lakes. It just might be the ultimate selfie spot (but mind the cliff edge!). Opabin Prospect has become somewhat well-known thanks to social media, but its remoteness ensures that you won’t share it with too many people at once. There are multiple ways to reach Opabin Prospect, but the most direct route is what’s mapped here. From the Lake O’Hara Lodge area, start along the lakeshore trail and continue onto West Opabin Trail. It makes a slight climb through the forest to find the shore of a smaller lake, which is one that you’ll soon see from high above. The work comes just after this lake, when the trail climbs steeply to the Opabin Plateau. It’s short but strenuous, and once on top, you’ll find relief in a relatively flat walk to the viewpoint. Before you know it, you’ll emerge from the trees and onto the cliff top. The simplest return is to go back the way you came, but with extra time and energy you might follow the Circuit Trail to explore several small lakes atop the plateau. You can also complete a longer loop with another trail to return to the O’Hara lakeshore. Sources: Written by Jesse Weber
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

3,000 ft
6,800 ft7,000 ft7,200 ft0.0 mi0.2 mi0.4 mi0.6 mi0.8 mi1.0 mi1.2 mi1.4 mi1.6 mi1.8 mi2.0 mi2.2 mi2.4 mi