ABOVE: The meadow below Portal Lake. Above the green meadow and meandering stream Blackcap Mountain can be seen above the lower part of the white granite and trees of Blackcap Basin.
Above Portal Lake Meadow
To get to Portal Lake, you have a few options. You can do a wet crossing of the horse ford the trail leads you to, or you can stay on the south bank of the stream until you reach the rocky area below the lake and cross the stream there to pick up the trail (or go cross-country to the outlet), or you can cross the stream on rocks in the shaded area near the trail 50 yards back from the horse ford, then cross the lawn-like meadow until you pick up the trail near the rocky area below the lake. Another 10 minutes of hiking will bring you to Portal Lake.
