Sam Hooke

Snow Lake

A deep blue mountain lake, surrounded by forested mountainsides, with a misty cloud rolling onto the surface through the distant trees.
View of Snow Lake as you descend the ridge.

Summary §

Snow Lake is incredibly popular, and for good reason. The hike is beautiful from start to finish, especially with the low lying blankets of mist that roll through the trees and across the lake. It’s barely an hour’s drive from Seattle, yet feels like remote, unspoilt wilderness.

Data §

Distance12.04 km / 7.48 miles
Elevation gain521 m / 1710 ft
Duration6h10m
Moving3h30m

Car park to the ridge §

The parking for Snow Lake is shared with the Alpental ski resort, so during the summer there is plenty of space. However the cars keep rolling in fast, so it’s still worth getting there in good time to ensure a space and avoid the crowds. We arrived at 8:30am on a Saturday.

A large gravel car park full of cars.
The car park for Snow Lake is shared with Alpental.

The trail starts just to the north of the car park, and initially is fairly easy going. It’s a gradual incline, first through forest, and then through a few patches of scree.

Looking up the steep field of scree from the trail.
Looking up at the scree.

As you near the end of the valley, the incline increases. Make sure not to miss the first switchback, since the trail forks, and you want to take the sharp right-hand turn. The route to Snow Lake is sign posted and much more heavily worn, but it would be possible to miss if you just blindly race forwards.

Then comes a series of switchbacks and the steepest part of the trail. There are nine switchbacks, including the first sharp right-hand turning. A final tenth switchback is at the top of the ridge, and then you begin the descent into the basin. Around this point you cross into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness:

Old wooden sign on a fir tree that says 'Alpine Lakes Wilderness'.
You’re about to enter the Alpine Lakes Wilderness!

Snow Lake §

There are three switchbacks as you descent into the basin. However, it’s worth taking your time to enjoy the scenery, since these are some of the best views. There is a side trail with a view point, but the trail itself has plenty of good views too.

View of Snow Lake looking down through the trees.
First view of Snow Lake on the descent into the basin.

Once at the bottom of the basin, the main trail navigates around the lake about 100m away. To reach the lake itself, you’ll need to cut in through a spur trail, which is just before a little stream crossing.

There’s a rocky beach, with some large stones that make for a good picnic spot.

View across the lake of mist rolling up the mountainside.
View across the lake of mist rolling up the mountainside.

When we initially arrived there were blankets of mist rolling across the lake, but the atmosphere soon switched as the clouds melted away.

View across the lake of the bright, clear water.
View across the lake of the bright, clear water.

Near to the lake shore we found some ruins which campers had been using as a clearing. I wonder who used to live here?

Some ruins, consisting of a rectangle footprint of a single room, with three walls of stone about knee height, and one wall with a stone fireplace about chest height.
Ruins at Snow Lake.

Looking to the far side of the lake, even though it’s September, there is still a sizeable chunk of snow.

Looking across the lake towards the snow.
Looking across the lake towards the snow.
A close up on the snow.
A close up on the snow.

Heading back to the main trail, continuing anti-clockwise around the lake, the trail rises up and meets the shore, but this time from the top of a cliff. This little cliff provides a great vantage point.

Tree reflections in the lake.
Tree reflections in the lake.
A brave swimmer.
A brave swimmer.

Return journey §

The journey back is the same as the journey out. Head back to the main trail, then follow the switchbacks back up and out of the basin.

Some scree on the way up.
Some scree on the way up.
A last look back at Snow Lake.
A last look back at Snow Lake.

After reaching the top of the ridge, repeat the nine steep switchbacks in descent. This time enjoy the views across the valley back towards Alpental.

Looking to the right on the descent after the ridge.
Looking to the right on the descent after the ridge. That is where the trail would take you if you had missed the first switchback on the way out.
The trail with large scree boulders.
Back through the scree.
Looking to the left, a distant mountain.
Looking to the left, a distant mountain.
Looking up the final scree field on the way out.
Looking up the final scree field on the way out.

The last mile is fairly easy going as you gently descent back to the car park.