By:
Submission
Easy hike. Recommended for families with kids. It does not have the best views, but the lake is good if you hike towards the east side of it. Caution: the road leading to the trail-head is 4 miles of dirt and holes here and there. Not that bad, but just be careful.
This is great place for short hiking. Located 1:30hrs from Seattle/Bellevue area. The access road or the forest road is loose gravel road with pot holes. But driving an SUV will be okay. It requires NW forest pass as there is no onsite payment option available. Ample parking available and a restroom at the start of the trailhead. There is a small wood bridge on the way makes it a place for a nice pic.
Get a chair or hammock for relax at the lake. Lots of camper next to the lake.
Joined a group hiking trip to the lake from Shoreline. So happy I did because the drive on a weekend is not something to look forward to (traffic on Hway 2 from Monroe to Gold Bar is just terrible). From the hway, its at least a 15 minute drive on unpaved forest service road to the trail head. Parking is limited, NPS pass is required. The lake is popular with hikers and campers (you can camp at the lake without needing a reservation, just the pass/hangtag that you have to display in your car) and just a single toilet at the trail head (there's a toilet area uphill from the lake). No water fountain, and far from restaurants so make sure you bring those with you.
The hike to the lake is fantastic with plenty to explore along the trail if you brought kids along. Uneven ground in some stretches but overall an easy hike for kids and adults with wonky knees.
Expect crowds on weekends and lots of dogs (leashed and un leashed). Recommend a weekday visit to avoid the weekend traffic and flock of hikers/campers on the trail.
Very peaceful, family friendly hike with beautiful views. Views at the lake are very pretty. Trail is pretty muddy in spots so just make sure to wear the right shoes. First couple miles from the turnoff on the highway have lots of potholes but are manageable if you go slow. Overall, very nice hike.
A beautiful lake nestled in the mountains near Baring, WA - roughly 1-1.5 hours away from the Seattle area. From the trailhead to the lake, it’s an easy trail of around 7 km (to and fro). You can easily drive to the trailhead, though the stretch from Baring to the trailhead is unpaved, with some large potholes at a few places; however, it’s not too bad, and you’ll be fine. A Northwest Forest Pass is required for parking at the trailhead (parking is not an issue, though the road at the trailhead is quite narrow). Although the trail is easy, it’s long and surrounded by beautiful trees, river, mountains, etc.; the hike to the lake is scenic and very relaxing. You feel the amazing quiet provided by this setting. The lake itself is a spectacular sight and is situated right next to a majestic, rocky, and intimidating mountain, which sort of acts as this lake’s ‘protector.’ The lake isn’t that big, and there aren’t many access points to it. Most available access points will be taken up by people camping there. I walked across the entire length of the lake to its other end, and this made the trail around 7.5 km (total) for me. Do note that, at the lake, there isn’t much to do, unless you are camping. Nonetheless, I saw many people, including families with small kids, do this not-so-busy trail. The trail is safe and recommended for all ages. Do visit the lake at least once.
