The hike breaks down into phases: forest portion alongside Distinct Creek, then opening right into a decrease basin meadow, prior to hitting the steepest section around Ice Lake.

Recreation around the lake ranges from boating, swimming and kayaking, to drinking water skiing and there is great hiking, fowl and wildlife-looking at within the encompassing forest within the lake and the whole area.

Shuksan or the Pickett Assortment in the gap. Just after about two miles, you will emerge from your trees to find yourself on an enormous, grassy plateau with open up views on the North Cascades.

Using the trailhead car parking zone proper off the freeway, you will squander no time having onto the path. Start off with a little dip in elevation to a short boardwalk. This can be the to start with of numerous shorter boardwalks you may traverse into a friendly forest. At a quarter mile, the boardwalks close and also you Obtain your last look at the freeway.

Open up to horses, mountain bikers, and motorized motor vehicles, path people of all stripes can delight in this place (while Every single consumer has his very own designated path to acquire there.) But make sure you benefit from the journey also; quit at the well-known basalt columns and snap an image!

There’s frequently no cell service alongside the path, so I’d recommend downloading offline maps on Google Maps in addition to a trail map on AllTrails to help you monitor your development with GPS.

Due to Blue Lake Path’s relatively higher elevation Blue Lake inside the North Cascades (starting up at five,380 ft), this place receives heavy snowfall in the wintertime and is only snow and ice-totally free normally from early to mid-July by mid-Oct. 

The North Cascades of Washington offer several of the most extraordinary mountainscapes in The usa and, arguably, the whole world. Should you’re hunting for a shorter working day hike in the area, the most effective options may be the Blue Lake Path, which, legitimate to its name, offers a lively blue lake and a superb display of golden larches, arrive slide.

To obtain to the trailhead, you’ll really need to push alongside the North Cascades Highway, Probably the most scenic roadways in the world.

The car parking zone at Blue Lake Trailhead can accommodate all around 20 cars and trucks, so prepare to arrive early to protected your location.

Pssst… you’ll discover that many of the areas around Blue Lake are roped off to shield fragile flowers—you should be respectful and don’t cross about into these parts! 

two. Pack frivolously but wisely. You don’t really need to convey many gear with you on the hike to Blue Lake, but you should definitely provide the essentials.

Our mission to inspire younger artists to achieve their greatest hasn't wavered since our very first working day of camp in 1966. Blue Lake’s effects is defined by 1000s of learners and also the devoted staff members and faculty that have served Blue Lake due to the fact its inception fifty eight many years in the past.

With only 1050 ft of elevation acquire this hike is doable for nearly Absolutely everyone. Should you’re driving more than Freeway 20 and don’t have all day, halt for this mountain gem.