Had been stalking the White Pass/Shoe Lake area for windows of good weather the last month or two…read more(every weekend, it would conveniently be rainy/snowy up there!). Recently I saw the forecast open up for some sunny conditions---during the work week. I decided to make the trip---isn't that what vacation days are for?? I drove up to White Pass, from the east side, with clear blue skies the entire way. I parked on the highway (across from the Kracker Barrel at the base of the White Pass slopes). I slapped on my 35lb pack, grabbed my dogs, and we scrambled up the slopes. I like going this route (vs. starting at the Trailhead) because there are nice views and it cuts down on distance. It's a bear of a workout though! Once on the PCT, it's a nice, fairly flat, and scenic hike---y'know, the usual. Near the new ski run up on top, I heard/saw workers cutting/burning trees to clear way for the ski run (sometimes I wish I could make them turn the ski lift ON, so I could be taken all the way up to the Miriam Lake Basin....but what fun would that be?? I had seen evidence of recent snow every here and there (1-4" patches of snow). Once at the Miriam Lake Basin/Hogback Ridge, I made my way to Shoe Lake. There's one stretch of this big open piece of trail where there was quite a bit of hard icy snow. Camped above the beautiful Shoe Lake. I heard an elk bugling at around 7pm---it must have been south down the hill. Such a cool sound to hear! But it was also scary, because within seconds I also heard something very big plodding around nearby--definitely an elk. It was so close I could hear it breathing. A wee bit scary! (and cool) Oh, I did spy some huckleberries along the way, amazingly enough---but they weren't as good as the ones I picked 3weeks ago. Such a late season! The night yielded beautiful views of the Milky Way, constellations, Jupiter, satellites, and the like. The hike back was nice for most of the way. I saw a herd of mountain goats in the Miriam Lake Basin. The snow/ice mentioned earlier was pretty scary in the morning. The first clouds of the trip rolled in around 1pm...but I was pretty much done. While unloading at my car, an employee from the Kracker Barrel rode his bike to me. He was wondering where I was and if I was ok. Apparently, I forgot to roll my driver's side window up---so it was open for 24hrs!! Everything was fine, but I sure felt dumb. Anyway, probably my last backpacking trip of 2011. A great way to end the season!

Easy hike. Beautiful!!! The turquoise water is incredible! Came here with another couple and their…read morebaby - they were able to hike with the baby in a body carrier. Not stroller friendly.

Easy loop hike. A little bit of up then down then up kinda stuff. Its beautiful nature but really…read morenot much real view until the waterfall. Compared to skyline loop it isn't much. But its easy and quick.

Amazing backpacking weekend here. Lots of campsites, but the wildflowers were outstanding as…read morewell!! Gorgeous place and the weather was just perfect! Goat Lake was amazing to get to as well. This place has amazing views too. The mosquitos were definitely around, but manageable. Bring bug wipes though!! Highly recommend this place!

CGI can't create THIS. Poets are inspired by THIS…read more Painter's canvases are made for THIS. Singers muse about THIS. My legs gravitate to THIS. THIS.....is Snowgrass Flat in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. When it comes to hiking the Cascades, sadly, I'm a creature of habit. I have favorite hikes which I rinse and repeat annually. This is a bad thing when you have miles and miles of lands full of the most beautiful color, scenery, experiences to be had. Snowgrass Flat is now added to my repetoire of go-to places for Cascadian hikes. With a trailhead located south of Packwood, one must venture for about 45min along a dusty gravel road (it's about a 15-17mile trek; while in your car, you will feel like a sock in a washing machine due to the washboarded road). And I'm not kidding about the dust, it's a dustgasm. But it's all worth it. The trailhead was fairly filled with many a hiker's vehicle (but on the trail, we didn't see too many). The trail starts with a quickstep along the side of a pine-filled mountain---every once in a while you'll be afforded views of Mt. Adams to your right. There is water on this trail, and you may cover a bog or two, streams, and at mile 1-2 a torrent which is handled by a nicely-built bridge. Due to the water, there are some boggy-ness, and with this there can be some mosquitoes, but we didn't come across much on our way up (perhaps the bug spray helped...or maybe I just wasn't tasty enough). If you want a workout, you will have one. It doesn't slap you upside the head, but it's a nice, slow, long burn---so it's nice. After about 2-3hrs (around Mile 5-6 for us), the horizon starts to open up and you feel like you are reaching the top. This is the Flat That Is Snowgrass. You are in meadows galore. For some reason the sky is bluer, the waters are clearer, the craggy snow-covered peaks are breath-takers....it's everything a hike should be. There are many options for camping. Here you can see St. Helens in hazy distance, and Mt. Adams is there to taunt. Other sights are Goat Lake to the north---it's captured in what appears to be an eternal winter. The biggest feature would have to be Old Snowy and his mountain homies. If you have the time, my friends told me that Goat Lake and Old Snowy are excellent additional trips one can take from Snowgrass Flat. **mental note made** I can't wait to come here again. This is why I love Washington state. This is why I hike. THIS is brought to you by the YELP-1200.

Without a doubt the best day trip this senior citizen has taken. We made a second trip to include 3…read moregrandsons. The walk up is easy and well Worth it. Make reservations AND memories!

A great little hike! Wonderful spot located just outside Naches. The trail is only about a mile…read morelong so it's perfect for kiddos and those of us in "less than ideal" shape!

I am in love the the Lake Ingalls hike! My friend and I arrived at the trailhead Sunday morning…read morejust before 8 a.m. and already counted 120 cars at the trailhead. We parked about 0.3 miles from the trailhead. Cars lined both sides of the narrow road, despite a sign indicating for folks to only park on one side. There were some very questionable parking jobs on edges and cliffs. There was a small line waiting for the one toilet, which was not stocked with toilet paper (don't forget to bring your own + hand sanitizer). There were a couple surprises I had after reading other trip reports. The first one was that the road up to the trailhead was not bad at all. Sure, it was a little bumpy and there were a few potholes to watch out for, but it was seriously nothing compared to other trailheads I've been on. A sedan can easily make it up to the top with no problem. The second thing I found different than the trip reports was the level of difficulty. WTA rates this hike as expert, and I thought it was nowhere near expert. It really was a nice gradual incline with some rock scrambling at the top. Plus, there's beautiful sights to see the entire way up, so it was very pleasant. The trail was packed, but once my friend and I started hiking, we slowly spaced out from the others. Everyone we encountered was super kind and courteous. The only downside we had from the people was that this is a trail that does not allow dogs, and there were several we encountered (including one off leash who ran up to my friend and was a little nippy). There was also fresh dog poop right on the trail an owner had left behind. The lake at the top wasn't too busy. There were plenty of spots to sit to grab a bite to eat and admire the view. After the initial descent from the lake where there's a lot of rock scrambling and questioning if you're still on the trail (there's multiple ways up through the rocks, so just keep going and look for cairns), it's a steady decline that's easy on the knees. I will definitely be back!

This is about a 10 mile total hike. I'm not a very experienced hiker, so it too me a while to get…read moreup there. My boyfriend and I camped up at the top too. Up to the top, it's quite easy as in the trail and the incline should be fine if you have hiked a lot. At some point up the trail, it gets a little narrow and steep way down if you're not careful. Bless my boyfriend for carrying my camping bag too. At the top, there's a camp ground. It's near a river if you want to get water. There's also a toilet! It's a wooden box and it's a great view to take a dump at. From the campsite, it's about 1 mile to the lake at the top. There are cairn stacks along the way to reach the lake. Without following it, I'm sure you can still find it, but with it, it shows you an easy route to climb. The lake itself is very clear and very cold! I went in August and there was still some snow! There are also mountain goats! I found the best time to see them is in the morning. They come near the camp site too! I heard a baby mountain goat crying for it's mom too. It was so cool seeing them so close! You can see where they have even around since their fur gets caught on the branches.

This lake has an amazing view of Mount Rainier if you are not looking to go directly to the…read moremountain. We came during the end of July (around 4PM) which is the best time to see all the beautiful wildflowers. It was really hot and there's so many bugs but this area is such a pretty place to take photos. We did leave with at least five mosquito bites so make sure to come prepared with bug spray and sunscreen! This is also right across from Naches Loop Trailhead and has parking as well; can only get down to the lake by staircase so this may be a struggle for those who are disabled. The view of the mountain is so pretty and totally worth it to stop by. The trail is also not hard so very kid friendly!

Tipsoo Lake is a beautiful location full of wildflowers, evergreens, various hiking trails, and a…read moregorgeous view of Mount Rainier on a clear day. The day we went it was really foggy outside early in the day and it was just starting to clear when we were ready to leave. But check out those Rainier photos from other hikers who were fortunate to have visited on a bright day. Spectacular! Tipsoo Lake is quite small and has a walking path around it that is flat and easy to walk for hikers of all abilities. Along that path you can find a variety of flowers (including those cool Lorax kind) as well as paths leading to other trails such as Naches Peak Loop. If you head up that trail a bit from the lake, you'll come to a bridge that goes over highway 410 and that can be a nice viewing point for kids. There are a small number of parking spaces (10 to 12) in a tiny lot right off of the freeway and you may be fortunate enough to snag a spot if you arrive early. Friendly reminder to mind the signs and stay on the trail to protect the surrounding land and flowers.

I know my blood is surely super-scrumptious, but the mosquitoes at White Pass…read more(http://www.yelp.com/biz/shoe-lake-hike-via-pacific-crest-trail-naches) wear DEET chemical suits and had at my friend & I with abandon. Because of this, we amscrayed down the road from the Pass (to get away from the skeeter-infested lakes)--we didn't want to get a gory goose egg hikewise. :::::::::: ENTER Sand Ridge Trail :::::::::: We eye-spied this trailhead wile driving up to White Pass. It's a bit nondescript and easily ignorable while driving past it, but it turned out to be a decent gem. The trailhead has a fairly large area with a couple of large areas for parking. There's a portapotty thingie. There's a trailhead board with info about the trail (wish it had a topo map). You need a Wilderness Pass to use the trail (or you could leave $5 in the box). ** Off we went ** The trail quickly slaps you up-side the head with elevation. Now I'm a berry-feasting-fiend, so I was on the prowl. After the first switchback I spotted a some tiny mountain strawberries. They were a tad larger than peas, but they pack some potent punch. So, I made like a bear for a few moments and gorged (sorta like the skeeters from the Pass) ;) Then off we went. The weather was so-so on this summer day, but it was actually perfect hiking weather. It wasn't super hot, and the moments of rain were refreshing. We reached the top of the ridge fairly quickly. Within a few minutes we came across three people on horseback, and made small talk. We then pressed on, and came to a fork. Being Native, I have to claim above-average tracking skills. I was able to determine that the horses came from the trail to our right (which looked to go down the other side of the ridge). We decided to take the left one and continue along the ridge. The ridge went on quite a bit and actually continued gaining in elevation. We were waiting for nice views, but we were too surrounded by pines to sport a window. The trail continues like this for a while--a bit ho-hum. But after about 2.5-3 miles we sorta hit a leveling off of the ridge. I also noticed some sandy conditions on the trail....hence the name: Sandy Ridge. Up on top we managed to find a few views. We also noticed the return of: **drumroll** mosquitoes! So, at this point, we decided to turn around. Going down was no big whoop. Although I must admit to snagging a few more strawberries again. :) *************** EPILOGUE: After getting home, scoured the topo for the area we turned around and sure enough, we happened to be near a few alpine lakes up on top. It woulda been cool to check 'em out. We'll save that for next time, later in the season, when it's cooler, and the mosquitoes are sleeping.

My fiancé and I along with our small dog enjoyed this trail. We hiked it July 28 and literally…read moredidn't encounter a single mosquito like others have said. The Mosquitos are only a problem in the spring and early summer here I would imagine. The first mile or two of the trail was rather silt-dusty. 3 or so miles into the trail it forks and you can either stay on the trail or take shell rock trail through miss covered stands of old growth pines. There is only a 15 min stretch where you have very good views. We really enjoyed this trail and would recommend it to most. It seems steep and difficult for the first hour but the entire trail is shaded and it levels off after a few miles into a very pleasant and beautiful hike.

The Glacier Basin Trail is utterly magical in every sense of the word. I must have taken hundreds…read moreof pictures and several videos while hiking this trail. This hike has everything that your little heart could ever desire! A forest full of giant trees. Vibrantly green shrubs. Waterfalls at practically each turn. Majestic views of not only the snow covered mountains, but the gorgeous aqua hues of the White River down below. The rushing river running parallel. Rampant wildlife. Colorful wildflowers. Inclines and elevation galore. I mean, shall I go on?! Just stunning. Glacier Basin is located near the White River entrance of Mount Rainier National Park. The trail begins just behind the White River Campgrounds. It's starts off mildly inclining through a lush forest, but the incline picks up speed and continues to incline until you reach the camp. It's about roughly 9 miles and 2,000 feet of elevation in total if you add in the the detour to the Emmons Lorraine Trail. Do it! It will add another 1.5/2miles to the hike, BUT... this is where you'll find that incredible view of the Inter Fork White River. It's funny that it's called the "white river" because it's stunningly aqua from the top of Emmons Lorraine. The Emmons Lorraine trail is a turn off that's about a mile into the Glacier Basin Trail and includes a river crossing and a steep incline up a narrow hill. It looks a bit intimidating, but it's really not. Just sit on your bum for the really gnarly parts coming down (at least that's what I did). Continuing on the Glacier Basin Trail, it's basically a straight shot up the hill for another 3 miles until you reach the top. There are a few spots with some switchbacks, but it's mostly a ridge-like trail. AllTrails has rated this hike as moderate, but it's definitely on the harder side of moderate if not difficult. What makes this hike so enjoyable though is the fact that there's so much scenery. Every time I took a break, I was either greeted by a beautiful mini waterfall or vibrant wildflowers. The views are very motivating and it keeps you going. Once you reach Glacier Basin Camp, you'll be met with the most stunning views of snow covered Mount Rainier and the rushing waters of the White River right next to it. This hike took me about 5 hours in total to complete (including breaks, lunch, and detours). It's definitely a day hike, so bring enough food and water to keep yourself nourished. Also, make sure you have some really comfortable hiking shoes/boots and hiking poles for the way down if you have bad knees. Coming down can be just as tough as hiking up because of the steepish downhill for 3 miles straight. This one is definitely going in the books as one of my favorite National Park hikes and my favorite Washington state hike thus far. If you're looking for a challenge and a great way to see the beauty of Mount Rainier National Park, Glacier Basin Trail is a great option.

As a Seattle native, I can say that this is my favorite hike I've ever been on. The hike has a fork…read moreabout a mile in. If you fork left, there is a relatively short (~30 min) but steep trail that leads to the glacier basin. The water is a bright teal with mountains in the background, one of the best views I've ever seen. My friends and I went swimming in the basin, which was very cold but also very fun. If you stay on the main trail, it is an additional 6 miles that is moderate-difficult and took about 3 hours to get up. At the top, there is a really pretty meadow and campground. You will need a Mt. Ranier National Park pass ($50 annual or $30/week) to enter. I went on a weekday in the morning and had no trouble finding parking. The main trail was quite empty, but the left fork had a couple other groups. However, we more or less had the place to ourselves. Overall, 10/10 would reccomend!

The map was a little confusing at first. We did the hiking trails and we're surprised how the paths…read moreare mainly kept up. We loved going out the falls. We didn't see the upper falls but the middle and the bottom. Was a little ways to figure how to get inside the waterfall but was awesome when we made it over :) but there was alot of trash at the bottom that needs to be cleaned like beer bottles.

Really solid place to hike. Very clear trails with varying difficulty. We chose to go to the falls…read more The maps and markers were very clear which was great. The walk to the falls had good elevation and an amazing view.

It's not the landscape, the wildlife, the trails or the views. It's the people. Most are…read moreperfectly fine and are out there to camp, hike, and fish for the sake of the activities. However, there is a percentage that is there because it's free and remote while still being accessible to a town where they can get their drug of choice. You'll recognize them by the ancient, filthy, motorhomes. My son was hiking with his girlfriend when they were approached by one of these "campers" who asked if they had any fentanyl to sell! Wow! Is there no where to escape this scrounge? Anywhere?

Mileage: estimated about 10 miles total (2 miles to where we set up our tents, then we hiked a loop…read moreof about 6 miles, then 2 miles back to the car the next day) Backpacked: April 16-17, 2016 This past weekend a group of us did an overnight backpack trek to Ancient Lakes. 3 first timers backpacking and it turned out to be an awesome trip! We had some problems trying to find directions out to the place, so here's directions from my personal experience. Directions: we stayed in Quincy the night before, so we took the 28 to Whitetail Road. Made a left on Whitetail from the 28, then a right on road 9 NW. follow road 9 NW and it turns into Ancient Lakes Rd NW. At the end of the road, you'll find the west parking lot. I am not sure how to get to the east parking lot. There's a lot of parking here, when we got there by 11 am, it was really crowded but we still found a spot. (When you are on Whitetail Rd, it might look like you are just driving through farms, but buried in there, there's Ancient Lakes!) There is a port-o-potty at the trail head on the west side. Trail head: is well marked, we hiked in about 2 miles and got to the lakes and the rolling grass area where you can set up tent where ever. There are some man made fire rings scattered through out the area. Hiking: After we picked a spot and set up camp, we hiked a loop around the lakes. We started towards the waterfall. It was a scramble up the side of the waterfall, like a class 4 rock scramble lol. Loose rocks, loose footing. From there, we went pass that waterfall and onto the backside where the east parking lot is. Which there's another waterfall there, and there's also camp spots there too. We looped around, it wasn't too hard. We estimated this part of the hike to be around 6 miles round trip back to our tents. Lots of people camping, we counted about 50 tents, then you estimate about 2/per tent, so like 100 people were out here! But you still are able to find solitude. We came across 3 snakes, an owl, and a marmot. Easy trek, not very hilly at all. Good for first time backpackers. The area can be explored in a day. I found this site useful: https://www.theoutbound.com/washington/backpacking/ancient-lakes-day-hike-or-backpack