Our Backpacking Adventures
Lodge Lake - Snoqualmie Pass, WA
Distance: 1 1/2 miles each way
Trail: Pretty easy trail up to Beaver Lake, Things got a lot more difficult after that point as we headed into the woods. The trail was a mess! There were probably more than 20 trees down over the trail which made the descent to Lodge Lake quite challenging, but adventurous!
Elevation: 3,200ft, Beaver Lake is the high point in the hike. It's all down hill from there....
Trailhead: This is part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Take I-90 exit #52. The trailhead is at the North end of the parking lot. A northwest forest pass is required to park at the trailhead. I got my pass at REI for less than $30 and it's good for one year. When you park at the trailhead, you'll see two trails....take the larger trail on the right!
Camping: There are two very decent size camp sites with fire pits near the SouthWest end of the lake. Follow the signs in from the main trail. Plenty of access to the lake.
Conditions: We went the later part of June and the weather was beautiful. There were still small parts of the trail at Beaver Lake that were covered in snow. The Pacific Crest Trail was a total mess with fallen trees everywhere along the trail after Beaver Lake.
Fishing: Fishing was fun, we didn't catch anything but we saw a handful of small fish jumping around where we were trying. I have no clue what's in there.....but worth a shot.
Trail: Pretty easy trail up to Beaver Lake, Things got a lot more difficult after that point as we headed into the woods. The trail was a mess! There were probably more than 20 trees down over the trail which made the descent to Lodge Lake quite challenging, but adventurous!
Elevation: 3,200ft, Beaver Lake is the high point in the hike. It's all down hill from there....
Trailhead: This is part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Take I-90 exit #52. The trailhead is at the North end of the parking lot. A northwest forest pass is required to park at the trailhead. I got my pass at REI for less than $30 and it's good for one year. When you park at the trailhead, you'll see two trails....take the larger trail on the right!
Camping: There are two very decent size camp sites with fire pits near the SouthWest end of the lake. Follow the signs in from the main trail. Plenty of access to the lake.
Conditions: We went the later part of June and the weather was beautiful. There were still small parts of the trail at Beaver Lake that were covered in snow. The Pacific Crest Trail was a total mess with fallen trees everywhere along the trail after Beaver Lake.
Fishing: Fishing was fun, we didn't catch anything but we saw a handful of small fish jumping around where we were trying. I have no clue what's in there.....but worth a shot.
Trailhead...decisions, decisions.....
This is a pretty easy trail to access. There are two trails visible from the parking area. The Pacific Crest Trail is the one on the right. If you go left, you'll still make it but probably end up going through some trees....
The first 3/4 mile is all open fields and the flowers are just really starting to bloom during the end of June. The trails are trickling streams of snow melt. All along the way there were plenty of things to stop and see. The ants are crawling all over the mountain, birds are very active in the trees and bushes, and there are plenty of opportunities to just stop and listen to the sounds as they change from the freeway noise of Interstate 90 to the calm of the woods.
Gabe really likes hiking in the open fields, but I think it really comes down to a changing scenery and this is a good hike for that.
The first 3/4 mile is all open fields and the flowers are just really starting to bloom during the end of June. The trails are trickling streams of snow melt. All along the way there were plenty of things to stop and see. The ants are crawling all over the mountain, birds are very active in the trees and bushes, and there are plenty of opportunities to just stop and listen to the sounds as they change from the freeway noise of Interstate 90 to the calm of the woods.
Gabe really likes hiking in the open fields, but I think it really comes down to a changing scenery and this is a good hike for that.
Obstacles....not a problem!
The trail from Beaver lake to Lodge lake was a complete mess! Seriously, every 150' it seemed like we encountered some kind of gian obstacle. There were trees across the path in every condition imaginable. I thought this kind of hike would be too difficult for a little hiker, but it was actually the opposite. I realize now that the constant challenges made the hike extremely interesting and kept him constantly engaged.
I remember in pre-school last year, Gabe was learning all about over/under/around. He got to inject a dose of reality and adventure into that lesson on this hike. It was exciting as Sammy, our little dog, got to choose to go under logs we had to go over or around! Normally, when I go hiking, I feel like I'm trying to get to the destination thinking I'm taking in my surroundings. But, with a little hiking partner I am REALLY forced to slow down and look at everything around us as an opportunity to experience and learn about our environment. It's really cool!
As you start getting your first glimpses of Lodge lake you'll encounter a few small water crossings. There are a couple of nice little waterfalls that lead into lodge lake and it was fun trying to balance across rock and logs while not getting our feet wet.
I remember in pre-school last year, Gabe was learning all about over/under/around. He got to inject a dose of reality and adventure into that lesson on this hike. It was exciting as Sammy, our little dog, got to choose to go under logs we had to go over or around! Normally, when I go hiking, I feel like I'm trying to get to the destination thinking I'm taking in my surroundings. But, with a little hiking partner I am REALLY forced to slow down and look at everything around us as an opportunity to experience and learn about our environment. It's really cool!
As you start getting your first glimpses of Lodge lake you'll encounter a few small water crossings. There are a couple of nice little waterfalls that lead into lodge lake and it was fun trying to balance across rock and logs while not getting our feet wet.
We're not very good at fishing yet...but having fun trying to figure it out!
This was pretty exciting fishing for the two of us. Little fish were jumping all around where we were casting. It kept Gabe going for a couple of hours steady. I was impressed at the amount of enthusiasm he had for fishing on this trip. One of the fun parts was walking out on the huge dead trees that lie in the water like docks. The water is pretty shallow and muddy leading out on the log but you can see the water get a little deeper as you get to the end. The water is clear enough in Lodge lake to where you can see the fish swimming around seeking shelter by the nearby logs and rocks.