Carbonado, Washington

This hike gets crowded fairly quickly so get there early. The parking lot is very large so parking is not really a problem.  There are bathrooms at the very beginning of the trail so I highly suggest using them. However at the top there is also a designated restroom area. Starting at 2600 ft, thi...

This is an abandoned trail that heads south along Rainy Creek, off of the downstream section of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Trail, and up to Rainy Lake. The lake is popular among fisherman, since it is home to lots of trout, but be warned -- route-finding skills are a must on this trip. I do my be...

Goldmyer Hot Springs is a beautiful little gem nestled within the wilderness of the stunning Cascade Mountains. This hot springs complex is situated on the old remains of a mining town, and delivers steadily flowing water to a set of tiered pools along the mountainside. The “cave” pool at the top...

Getting There From Seattle, drive Interstate 90 to Exit 62, Signed Kachess Lake/Stampede Pass. Turn left and head north over the interstate; you'll reach Kachess Lake Campground in five miles. Turn left where the pavements ends and drive four miles on Box Canyon Road (FS Road #4930) to the Rach...

The Trail: With very little elevation gain, the first three miles of the trail are the easiest; the next mile up to Rachel Lake is great work out. After reaching Rachael Lake, look for the sign that says "trail" to find your way to Rampart Lakes. While there are many side trails that turn out ...

Start off at Trail #1313 to Rachel Lake. The first 2.5 miles is a flat, slow uphill hike till you get to a river crossing. From there, the next 1.3 miles will be a 1,000 foot elevation gain to Rachel Lake. Once you arrive, this is a good spot to rest, eat some snacks, and replenish your water sup...

The Owhi Campground on Cooper Lake is tucked away in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest near Salmon La Sac.  It sits at 2,788 feet and has views of Chikamin Peak (6960') and Lemah Mountain (7480'). The lake is quiet, very photogenic, and easily accessible.   The campground is on the north si...

This area is a very secluded camp area, so unless it's a holiday weekend, be prepared to be alone :) It is a very quiet lake and along the roadside there are plenty of spots to hike, camp, and fish by the lake or the Cle Elum river.So bring your day hiking gear and pole as well and head out in th...

The trail was not crowded although when we got to Snoqualmie Lake there were only a couple camping spots left. The trail up from Dorothy is not too hard at all. The weather was perfect. After passing Dorothy you have to ford a creek where the bridge has been washed out. We went through it on foot...

Start off by traveling along Highway 2 and turning towards the Money Creek Campground. Turn off onto Forest Road 6410 and follow that to the Lake Dorothy Trailhead (about 9 miles). This first section of the hike can be pretty crowded on a nice summer day as the trail is very family friendly and ...

This is one of my favorite hikes for Washington State. Aside from the massive volcanoes hanging out down here, the southern region of the cascades is much more tame compared to areas further north. As I mentioned in my Old Snowy report, a jaw dropping side trip from the loop trail, the Goat Rocks...

The hike begins just outside of Packwood, Wa at the Berry Patch Trailhead Trail #96, sitting pretty at about 4200ft. The Goat Lake/Jordan Basin loop trail starts here, leading to Old Snowy. The magical Goat Rocks Wilderness area is just southeast of Mt. Rainier. It also lies right in the crosshai...

Nestled in a high rocky cirque near the upper reaches of Mt Daniel, Spade and Venus Lakes are two of the most remote lakes in the Alpine Lake Wilderness. But to experience this level of pure isolation, you'll need to earn it; the shortest hike in to the lakes is 14 miles, the majority of which i...