The East Humboldt Mountains, separated from the Ruby Mountains to the south by Secret Pass, are often considered the northern extension of the Rubies. They have the same granite and metamorphic bedrock, the same glaciated terrain with peaks reaching over 11,000 feet, and the same abundance of streams, alpine lakes, and meadows. 

Uniquely, one of those alpine lakes, Angel Lake, can be reached by a paved road. Angel Lake is a natural cirque lake, but its level has been raised by a small outlet dam for water storage, as is common throughout the United States west.

It’s stocked for fishing and there is also an adjacent campground. Nearby trailheads are for trails that lead to other cirque lakes in the vicinity.