Bring something to float on. The shallows go REALLY far away from shore.

 

Been a couple years for me as well. I always expect worse conditions each year as rain/runoff expose more of the rocks and boulders in the road. Should be more water in it than years before though around the same time.

 

I’ve attempted to reach that lake a dozen times and made it once in late spring. Have got my truck/4 runner stuck half the time it pulled a buddy out the other half. Spent the night there one time stuck in the snow but had emergency supplies until I didn’t have emergency supplies. Ended up running out of beer, then life got dire 😂. This was many years ago before a family. Can get in now but don’t haul a trailer.

 

Well we made it up to Badger Lake this past Saturday (8/6). The road was very, very rough probably one of the worst roads I have been on. It took us about 2 hours to go the 12 miles down the to the lake. I was able to make it in my 3/4 ton Dodge pick up but I probably wouldn't take that vehicle again because of how narrow it was getting in and out. Once we got there I figured after driving down that horrible road we would have the place to ourselves but boy was I wrong. There was hardily anywhere to park and some campers camped on the boat launch blocking it for everyone, they were being extremely loud and having multiple campfires in the parking area of the launch. The people that camped there were not friendly at all when I mentioned they were camping on the boat launch and I had a little 10 foot aluminum row boat in my truck that I would like to put in the water. We ended up having to carry our little boat and gear about 200 yards up over the dam and into the water.

That being said, once we were on the water and able to cool my head, we had an amazing day rowing around and fishing the beautiful lake. My girlfriend and I caught and released about 25 rainbows anywhere from 6 to 16 inches. The lady also caught a beautiful little 10 inch brook trout. We mostly used spinners and spoons and had a great time. All in all we had a great time but I don't think I'll be coming back anytime soon.

 

Nice work - glad you found some quiet!
Unfortunately, that is what Badger has become - all in the middle of a wilderness area [even if the lake is not 'in' the wilderness boundaries]. Did you get to experience the gun fire in the middle of the night; always an exciting time and usually worth a visit from the sheriff.
Definitely have to catch it at the right time of year these days - during the hottest part of the summer is not that time.
It used to be that there was only room at the designated sites due to it being heavily forested; then there was a big windstorm and or winter storm that brought down large stands of trees and they opened the area to commercial firewood cutting and unlimited private cutting - that opened the basin up and people just came in and started camping all over the place. Can certainly understand, you haul your gear in there on that road and you are not about to turn back due to a few full campsites. They actually tried to fully develop that area and make it a motorboat lake years ago - it is the use that drove that.
The wind sure can rip up there too - that basin can be a funnel!

 

Nice work - glad you found some quiet!
Unfortunately, that is what Badger has become - all in the middle of a wilderness area [even if the lake is not 'in' the wilderness boundaries]. Did you get to experience the gun fire in the middle of the night; always an exciting time and usually worth a visit from the sheriff.
Definitely have to catch it at the right time of year these days - during the hottest part of the summer is no that time.
It used to be that there was only room at the designated sites due to it being heavily forested; then there was a big windstorm and or winter storm that brought down large stands of trees and they opened the area to commercial firewood cutting and unlimited private cutting - that opened the basin up and people just came in and started camping all over the place. Can certainly understand, you haul your gear in there on that road and you are not about to turn back due to a few full campsites. They actually tried to fully develop that area and make it a motorboat lake years ago - it is the use that drove that.
The wind sure can rip up there too - that basin can be a funnel!

We didn't end up staying the night due to how busy it was so thankfully no gunfire in the middle of the night. If I were to guess there were over 50 people (maybe 20 cars) there and we ran into 6 cars coming down when we left around 4PM. It is crazy how popular some of these lakes have gotten. I remember when I was a kid my dad would pick me and my brother up from school on a Friday and we would go up to Trillium lake to fish for an evening. We would say it was busy when there was a handful of fisherman sitting on the dam. On the way home from Badger the Trillium Lake lot was so full, people were parking at the Sno Park and walking down the road into the lake with all of there day gear and floaties. I guess that's the way it is now. I have been living in Idaho for the last few years and I think I've been getting spoiled and just haven't realized it. 😂

 

I go in spring during break up when there are snow barriers.