"One of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen, with a snowy mountain in the background. So reads just one of the many five-star Google reviews for California's Garnet Lake, a spot that seems to inspire awe in pretty much everyone who comes its way — it scores a whopping 4.9 out of 5 on Google overall. Naturally, that means big views and big adventure as you take to challenging trails and eventually emerge at Garnet Lake to see the summits of the Ritter Range jostling overhead. Most expeditions to Garnet Lake begin at trailheads on the eastern side of the mountains. To get to them, you'll need to divert around 30 minutes off U.S. Route 395, that scenic high-desert and mountain road trip that skirts this haunch of the Sierra Nevada from top to bottom.