Gem Lake, WA

North Bend, Washington

4.7/5

based on 3 reviews

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Details

Distance

10.4 miles

Elevation Gain

2923 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Felix Madrid

Be prepared for breathtaking sunsets that have the most amazing colors. With alpine views and Icy-blue water that you can actually swim in.

This hike shares the trailhead for Snow lake at the Alpental Ski area in Snoqualmie Pass. You'll start out with a great warm up, walking through dense green underbrush and a brief wooded area. Before too long the trail increases in inclination slightly and begins to offer up some small rocky sections where rock slides have created little obstacle courses. The accent continues to gradually steepen as you traverse a series of well maintained switchbacks. As you reach the top before descending into the Snow Lake basin you will get some epic views of Chair Peak to the west. Continuing on past Snow Lake, you travel through many small meadow areas as the trail steepens further. You will arrive on the SE shore of Gem Lake and be greeted with sapphire blue water and stunning views of sharp rock formations to the west. This hike lends itself to staying the night once you've reached the lake, and making the return trip the day after in order to experience sunset.

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Gem Lake, WA Reviews

Explorer

Jess Fischer

Explorer

Gem Lake, WA

05/14/20

We hiked this trail Fourth of July weekend and can confirm the first half of this hike is a human highway with a majority of people climbing up to Snow Lake. Past Snow Lake the trails open up and we only saw a few other groups of hikers. Absolutely stunning vistas and crystal clear lake water. If you go on a weekend I recommend hiking in early, and hiking out early to avoid the crowds. We made the mistake of hiking out in the afternoon and constantly had to pull off the trail for people coming the opposite direction. Overall great hike.

5.0

Mary Neff

Gem Lake, WA

08/07/17

It's a very nice hike. A very well maintained and easy to follow trail. Beautiful views every which way. And the lakes sure are nice for a dip. But oh my super human highway 😳. It might be a little too accessible for peace and quiet. I'm glad I did it, but I wouldn't do it again.

4.0

Explorer

Colin Ayers

Explorer

Gem Lake, WA

11/14/15

Great hike close to Seattle. Easy to get to and lots of parking. Great for a trail run or a hike, and the ability to stop at Snow Lake or continue to Wildcat Lakes and beyond makes this trip very versatile

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Snow Lake

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, this hike has a nice and steady incline the entire trip. For this hike, you will end up starting in a...

Winter Backpack Below Chair Peak

Hike or snowshoe to the ridge below Chair Peak and above Snow Lake and camp among numerous Snoqualmie Pass peaks.Drive to Snoqualmie Pass WA via I-90 and park at the Alpental parking lot (exit 52). Take the Snow Lake trail, which initially climbs 200 feet with wooden steps and eventually evens out for 1-2 miles. Upon reaching the "Source Lake" sign, which indicates that the Snow Lake trail cont...

Kendall Katwalk via the PCT

Starting near Snoqualmie Pass, hike the historic Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) through old-growth forests and boulder fields to the "Kendall Katwalk," a high ledge of rock carved out of a mountain side many years ago using dynamite. The hike to the Katwalk gradually gains elevation using switchbacks with occasional views of surrounding peaks, such as Guye Peak to the west, Red Mountain to the nort...

Snoqualmie Mountain

For this hike, you park at the same parking lot as the Snow Lake hike. The trailhead to Snoqualmie Mountain is an unmarked trail just 30 feet or so before the Snow Lake trail. This is a tough hike even though its only a ~4 mile out and back trip because you gain 3100 feet to reach the summit. The trail isn't an official trail but it is fairly easy to follow as it takes you up a dried creek bed...

Winter Camping at Snow Lake

Starting at the Snow Lake Trail Head you climb up the boot pack or ski track of those before you (hopefully) from ~3120 ft. to ~4400 ft. at the ridge line where Snow Lake becomes visible. If there are no tracks, follow the South Fork Snoqualmie River NE and aim just east of the lowest point of the ridge line. Winter route finding may be necessary, so bring a compass, study the map, and have a...

Gem Lake and Wright Mountain

The trail to Gem Lake lies along the same trail that passes by the incredibly popular Snow Lake. While the masses typically stop the first place they can along the shores of Snow Lake, fewer make the short trek from there up to Gem Lake. Park at the giant lots at the end of the road to Alpental (and get there early, because the lots and the trail will fill up quickly!), fill out your trail perm...

Gem Lake, WA

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Gem Lake, WA Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Snow Lake

Winter Backpack Below Chair Peak

Kendall Katwalk via the PCT

Snoqualmie Mountain

Winter Camping at Snow Lake

Gem Lake and Wright Mountain

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