Came here on a Friday afternoon around 3:30PM, long gravel road to the trailhead, quite a few cars parked there too. Bathroom and map at the trailhead. Hike is pretty steep, constantly uphill for about 3 miles, all in the trees though. Mosquitoes around, bug spray is good. After 3 miles, trail goes down pretty steeply, lake was really pretty, not very cold water! Sat there for a bit to enjoy the water and view, really calming. Didn't see very many people on the trail, had the lake to ourselves. Bad part of the hike is the need to go back uphill after the lake, but it's not too bad. Took 2 hours to get to the lake, 2 hours back, was a bit dark and got a bit cold towards the end of the hike. Hiking poles definitely helped! read more

Blanca Lake - Lakes Near Me

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A beautiful PNW wonderland! Worth the 3.3 miles at 3k ft elevation gain! But please READ*********important**** NO ONE IS GOING TO CLEAN UP AFTER YOU! Nobody!! It's disgusting how much trash & liter I saw. Toilet paper on the trail and the lake?! Gross!!! Granola wrappers , socks, shorts, towels randomly left behind !? An apple core floating in the lake?! Seriously just pack a couple of plastic grocery bags/trash bags in your camel back & pack it out!!! Not that difficult & seriously who does this?! They're ruining our beautiful forest. animals live there, not us. Clean up after yourself! read more

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It is 11.5 miles, you have to park your car 2 miles before the trail starts which adds up total or 4 extra miles. It would be good idea to go on sunny day and start hike early. We went around 8:00am got at lake around 11:30am, only few small breaks and took 3 hours to come back. When we reached the lake it was mesmerizing. Thinks to remember: 1.Take a lot of water and snacks with you. It is hard hike so stay hydrated. 2. Bug spray if needed we had it but did not use it because bugs were not too bad. 3. Go early to beat the heat and this hike requires $5 day use fee and Northwest forest pass. 4. Since it's not 7.5 miles be ready to do extra 4 miles. Total of 11.5miles This hike was hardest hike for us so far but the view worth the hike. I would highly recommend to go there at lest once in life time. The view is breathtaking!!! Good luck, you will love it.!! read more

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In an area full of unending beauty and trails, it's rare that I'm moved to revisit a hike more than once. But this will definitely be an exception. This lake is like a sherbert green/blue color. UNREAL! Apparently it's due to it being a "rock flour" lake where silt from the glacier gets suspended in the water and reflects the color... but still... I've been on a lot of hikes and seen a lot of lakes, but have never seen color like this before...amazing. And just as amazing the color is the feel of it when you jump in. Yes, it is glacier water, but it is not as cold as the Puget sound. I went in 3 times and could still feel my limbs and since we went on a fairly warm day, I wasn't even cold when I got out. awesome. The hike is tough - 3000' elevation gain in 3 miles is no joke (bring lots of water!!!), but its doable and definitely worth it. I timed it - it took less than 2 hours from Bellevue to the trailhead, a little over 2 hours to get to the top (with a couple rest stops and one detour), 1 hour to swim, 2 hours back down (some areas are muddy and a bit tricky to get down) and 2 hours to drive back to the eastside. Not bad. Next time I will definitely try to stay longer at the top - that lake is just too good. Note: there are TWO lakes... I didn't realize this - the trail is well marked and easy to follow for the most part, but then after scrambling up some rocks and relocating our path, we ventured down into an open space area with some small growth trees and snow... then we saw a lake.. and it was gross. We almost turned around after hitting the first lake - I was thinking to myself, I am definitely NOT jumping in that and maybe we missed the path somewhere? ... but I am so glad we ran across some fellow hikers who encouraged us saying that we were, indeed, going to the right direction and to go about 15-20 minutes beyond the 1st lake to the second. It didn't take long before you could see shades of that water flirting with you through the trees and it's all downhill from there. read more

Blanca Lake - So blue!!! - Lakes Near Me

Blanca Lake is approx. 2 hours northeast of Seattle. The drive out there is pretty smooth until the last 20-25 minutes. The last 8-10 miles or so is on unpaved road. If possible, take an SUV which will make for a smoother ride. However, smaller cars will make it too. I have been here twice and have seen civics and corollas both times. Tip: If you need the restrooms there is a wooden box / honey bucket in the parking lot. I would recommend stopping by the Starbucks (prior to merging onto HWY 2) if you think you will need more than 30 seconds. The smell is pretty brutal! The hike itself was pretty challenging. I would say 8/10 in terms of level of difficulty. Not the best hike for beginners and families. Certain parts of the trails are extremely narrow and certain parts of the trail require you to climb. You will definitely break a sweat and work up an appetite. Bring plenty of water and pack a lunch. You will be hungry!! If you do end up making it, the view is amazing. Be prepared to take lots of pictures. It's amazing how a lake like this (turquoise in color) exist in the state of Washington. If you are adventurous, bring a change of cloths and take a dip in the lake. Be extremely careful though because the logs that you have to walk on are slippery. And beware - the water is ice cold :) cheers!! read more

Blanca Lake - Blanca Lake - Summer 2015 - Lakes Near Me

This hike is HANDS DOWN my favorite hike to do in the Pacific Northwest to date. Blanca Lake will have you in a euphoric state once you reach it's beautiful blue waters. No, this trail is not easy. It's not for beginners, I'll tell you that. You'll have to work for this baby, but oooooooh lord, that reward once you get to the lake will be oh so worth it. I had the most humbling experience hiking this trail and I am so thankful that I was able to complete it without any injuries! It's such a difficult hike back to the car and with a couple cuts and scrapes, I think it was all worthwhile. I'll let the photos speak for themselves and just show you why I love this hike so much. It's one of the main reasons why I love the Pacific Northwest. There's always so much to explore! read more

This hike is not for the faint of heart. I do not joke, I came here with a few friends on a cloudy Saturday morning. It was about a 1.5 hour drive to get here from my house. Once we got there, we immediately set out onto the trail, excited to see this Blanca lake. It starts off easy, just going up and up and up. After a while though, going up is killer and you are wondering when will you get to the top!!!! Eventually you get to the top, and then have to go down, till you reach a small brown looking lake. Don't worry this isn't the lake! You have to keep going down and down and down until finally- you see it. The lake and its views are worth the pain and torture it took to get there- it's really unlike anything you've seen before, it's so unbelievably blue/green but in an eery magical way. It looks like something out of a fairytale. It was raining a little bit the day we went so it was muddy- which sucked SO MUCH!!!!! But I think on a sunny dry day it would be nice. All in all it took us about 3.5 hours to get to the lake and 3.5 hours back. Bring food and water and there is no service on the hike so be careful and safe! read more

Blanca Lake - The magical Blanca lake - Lakes Near Me

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What a great hike, with such a beautiful final destination. That trek to get to the lake was worth every single step. This hike has been on my bucket list and I'm so glad that I conquered it! Blanca lake is absolutely gorgeous! It looks like an image off a postcard. The glacier fed robin-egg blue water is stunning and pristine. The surrounding mountains still had snow making a stunning backdrop. Difficulty: Hard yet do-able! Elevation gain: 3300 ft Round trip: 7.5 miles Time: About 3 hours up, 2 hours down I am a novice hiker. I had to take lots of short breaks. Drive: The drive from Seattle is a little over 2 hours. The FR 65 road is all gravel but nothing too bad. No sharp rocks of any sort but there were a couple of small pot holes. Parking: The parking lot wasn't too big. Probably could fit around 20 cars. I came here on a sunny Sunday morning. Knowing that this is a very popular hike, my friend and I got to the trail around 8 am. There were already 6-7 cars there. As we left around 3 pm, the parking lot was beyond capacity with many cars parked on the side of the road. Outhouse Toilets available. Trail: Overall, very nicely maintained. The trail starts off immediately with switchbacks through the sheltering forest with a moderate grade incline. All the trees from the forest gave off a very aromatic scent. After the first mile or so, after passing by the large cedar tree that had been recently cut down, the switchbacks started to get steeper. Some of the switchbacks (I counted about 30) are very long and very steep. Some parts of the trail consists of large roots and rocks. At 2.5-3 miles or so the trail flattens out once we reached the ridgeline. This was a nice mini break from all the switchbacks. It was nice to be able to catch a glimpse of the the nearby valleys and mountains. Once you pass the large rock area that you have to climb over (only 5-7 steps or so), Virgin Lake is right around the corner. I was rather disappointed with Virgin Lakes appearances. The water was rather dirty and there was so much moss growing around it. After passing by Virgin Lake, the trail goes about .5-.75 mile downhill to Blanca Lake. This section was very muddy with many large roots and rocks. The trail then flattens out again into a distinct pathway leading to the ever so amazing lake. When we got to the lake, just seeing the picturesque water was amazing and well worth the journey. There wasn't that many people so it was very nice and relaxing. As we were heading down, we passed by so many groups. I would recommended coming early to beat the crowd. Bugs: So many bugs on this trail! Bring bug spray! I got bit 4-5 times! :-( *Northwest forest pass required* read more

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Truly this hike is a lake from a dream! The minute you see this glacier fed lake peaking through the trees after your strenuous hike - your jaw immediately drops. Jumping in cold crystal blue waters that shine like silver makes it totally worth it! Don't make me mention the beautiful mountain backdrop as well! My boyfriend and I came from Renton and it was about a 2.5 hour drive out! I wish we left earlier! We started the hike around 12pm and ended around 5pm and omg, we were just dying in the summer heat. This is DEFINITELY a hike you want to start way early in the day especially in the summer! We hiked in Nikes and it wasn't even that bad. I'm a novice hiker and this trail wasn't super hard for us (had about 2 hours worth of switchbacks) but for some reason going back down was grueling & took us the same amount of when we were going up (maybe even longer!) Usually, my time going back is cut in half! Also, there's a lot of mosquitoes so I would recommend bug repellant. First there's Virgin Lake, continue on for another half mile and then you will see Lake Blanca! The lake was just breathtaking! We saw people setting up their tents and we were at the lake for an hour when we finally decided to start hiking back. I wish I brought a bathing suit otherwise I would of had a better experience. Overall, the trail was very well maintained with such beautiful scenery! There's a tiny parking lot of about 20 spaces and you need your Northwest Forest Pass (people had tickets on their cars when we showed up bcos they were using their Discovery pass). Generally speaking, I'd rate this trail between moderate-hard so it is not for beginner hikers. Will be coming back! read more

Blanca Lake - ... Gorgeous. - Lakes Near Me

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Blanca Lake is the most beautiful lake I've seen in WA on a hike, plain and simple. The color is crazy!! It is a thigh-burning hike...up AND down, so be sure to bring lots of water (we wished we had more for the hike back down). Get there early and make sure you have a NW Forest Pass or you will get ticketed. For how gorgeous this lake is, it wasn't too crowded on the trail. We met several groups up and down, but I felt like fewer people were out (definitely not as crowded as Snow Lake or Mt Si). Our dogs had a blast and even swam in the frigid waters of Blanca Lake. We are sore today but it was well worth it! Just a note...the trailhead says that it is 7.5 miles round trip. My GPS said that we went 13 miles...maybe it was wrong, but the hike certainly seemed much longer than 7.5 miles! read more

Blanca Lake - Gorgeous Blanca Lake! - Lakes Near Me

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Just wow! Probably the most beautiful lake in WA! Fiance and I hiked to this lake last summer. It took us 2.5 hours to get to the lake and a little less than 2 hours to get back. We hike regularly throughout the year and this was a thigh burning hike, but well worth it! The lake was absolutely stunning! We found a flat surface on the rocky sides of the lake, had our packed lunches and took a nap/sunbathed before hiking back. Go early if you want to find parking and spend a few hours at the lake like we did. Will do it again this summer! read more

Blanca Lake - Lakes Near Me

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In a word, Epic. To be clear, this is not a hike for beginners or anyone that does not feel confident with steep grade, rough trail conditions, and very limited signage. Regardless of your physical condition, I would recommend starting earlier (before 10AM) or you could easily be hiking back down while it is getting dark. Additionally, the road is dirt for about 30 minutes while getting to the trailhead via NF-65, so if you are worried about dirt on your car, potholes, etc...be warned. As always, be prepared with plenty of water, and day hiker safety gear (check online for a basic list). Rewards are unlimited on this adventure. You ascend via multiple switchbacks 3000 some feet in less than 3 miles. The initial views are of the canopy, old growth, and various wildlife. After you make it to the "ridgeline," pause to take in the beauty of the cascades and what you just accomplished! The half mile or so is all downhill. The trail gets a bit confusing at the top of the ridgeline, but you have to scramble up a small rock wall (totally doable). As you start heading down toward Blanca Lake, you will first pass much smaller Virgin Lake. It is beautiful, and on a clear day, the treeline reflection impressive. Continue moving down a steep decline and quite muddy (if its been raining) portion of the trail. You will soon see the polar ice colored Blanca Lake emerge.... gorgeous. Relax and soak in this beautiful piece of the northwest, it is truly special. read more

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I wouldn't say the hike was hard but it was definitely challenging!!! I considered myself an above average hiker but my feet didn't agree too much with the tree roots coming out of the ground. It's definitely an incline starting off and it kept getting worst our group. Our group took many breaks but It ended up taking us about 3 hours to get to the lake and about 2.15 hours to get back. The lake is absolutely gorgeous but the water was definitely cold. Driving there is horrible!!! You will drive through rocks and potholes for about 15 miles. So make sure you go there with beater!!! I would rate the difficulty a 6/10 Cheers read more

Blanca Lake - Blanca Lake! - Lakes Near Me

Absolutely gorgeous lake and very much worth the trek. We went July 5th. Not sure if that influenced the amount of people at the trail that day but I would say it was decently populated. We got there around 12PM and the designated parking area was already full. This wasn't a big deal since the road was wide enough to park on the side. The last bit of road leading up to the trailhead is all gravel for about 15 mi. I'd advise against taking a freshly washed car, because it'll get real dusty, real quick! Now, getting on to the actual hike- Started at 11:45 Got to the lake at 1:45 Headed back down at 3:45 Got to the car at 5:30 It's not an easy hike but definitely doable. I wore my worn out running shoes and only managed to slip twice. (I was very careful). Wear hiking shoes if you got them, or something with good traction. I also suggest bringing floaties if you want to lounge comfortably. Also flip flops. Maneuvering around the lake involved stepping on rocks and logs in the water; I'd avoid doing it barefoot. We saw plenty of campers and ran into other hikers that mentioned a waterfall near the end of the trail. Definitely checking this out next time, it's worth a second hike! read more

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It's wonderful!! There are no words to describe what we felt when we got there ! It took us 3 hours to go up and 2.5 back down. But Gosh it's worth it!! But hey !!!!! GRAB A PASS. read more

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Left Tacoma, WA at about 7:30am and reached the Trail parking lot around 10am. About a 2.5 hour drive. A few miles from the lot is not paved--a good amount of narrow off-roading to get to the parking area. Was really busy already around this time, about 15-20 cars. If you don't have a Forest Pass, the pass is only $5. The hike itself started off very easy to mediocre and started to pick up about 40 minutes into the hike--a large amount of turns that include lots of tree roots and rocks along the path. About halfway up it will get a little busier as more hikers are along the trail, taking a break or waiting for their party to catch up. The views only get better as you elevate higher. Once you get about 3/4 up the mountain, you will notice a dark, swamping lake on the left as you climb down toppled trees and branches--this is not Blanca Lake!! It's Virgin Lake and not what you hiked up here for. ;) Once you get past the lake, there will be a little more uphill in rockier areas (watch for loose gravel). Once you get past that area, it's mostly flat or downhill from there u Tol you reach Blanca Lake. There will be an area where you get a great view of the Neon colored lake where you can capture great photos or take group photos. The hike to the actually lake is about another 10 minutes. Along the way you will notice smaller meadows and flat areas where you can camp overnight. I believe you can fit between 1-3 tents in certain areas. Through some wooded areas with smaller trees and branches, you will have finally reached Blanca Lake where you will find more hikers who have reached their destination. This was definitely worth the hike--the lake is amazing and has beautiful scenery. There are plenty of areas to jump into the lake, launch your blow-up rafts or floaties. There were also an area where you can jump from a rock into the lake (about 6-8 feet deep). The temperature was between 92-95, so the lake water was a great compliment to the warm temperature. It wasn't too cold, but felt amazing!! Just look at the photos!! I recommend this hike for anyone, The lake is worth the sweat, bruises, sore legs, and the drive out there. Amazing hike and a gem of WA state!! read more

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When I read about how this hike was difficult, I can now say it was INTENSE! At the start of the hike, the incline was crucial and I could barely breath, stopping every couple switchbacks. That was probably the worst part of the hike and when I drank the most water, so BRING MORE WATER THAN YOU'LL THINK YOU NEED! After about an hour of inclines, we reached up to a beautiful meadow and it was pretty cooling and many beautiful views. After about 2.5 hours, we reached Virgin lake. It wasn't much of a view, but it was a sign that we were almost to our destination! Blanca lake was only about 30 minutes away from Virgin Lake. And it was all downhill so it didn't kill me much. Reaching Blanca lake was exciting, the color is so beautiful and there are many spots where you can sit and eat. It was pretty cold at the time I went, so I didn't get to go swim but the view was really enough! read more

Blanca Lake - September 18, 2015. Pretty cold day but still so beautiful! - Lakes Near Me

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This was the most physically demanding hike I've ever done, and my first solo hike. I recommend going early, and giving yourself 3.5 hours to get there, time to relax and cool off in the water, and then allowing for 2.5-3hours back if you're day-tripping. Bring plenty of water and snacks, but I'd recommend packing as lite as possible, because the elevation gain is as intense as everyone says.. The flies were awful, even with bug spray. That being said, push through it and the reward is other-Worldly. That first view of the lake when you realize you've made it is surreal. Go jump in. The water is cold and amazing. read more

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Hang your training bras and butt wipes at home, girls, because this is the trail where you grow a pair and become a woman. It will hurt, it may seem insurmountable, and you may feel that life is so unfair to not have given you a pair of shapely, muscular thighs that never feel sore after a strenuous hike, but this is the most gorgeous body of water I've seen since I was up in Alberta, Canada. My friend, who's a part-time hiking enthusiast and part-time animal, told me about the difficulty of this trail and how he completed the hike well under 4 hours. How incredibly fascinating. There are a few things I can do in record time, too, but you don't see me prancing around all pompous, clamoring about how I can shave my ass just shy of 1 minute in one fell swoop. So I wanted to one-up the bastard and attempt to get to Blanca Lake fashionably early. Yeah, no. That didn't happen. I don't have the lung capacity of a horse so this hike should realistically take more than 4 hours. Although there's not much to see in the beginning of the trail, I would pace yourself. Save your breath so that it can be taken away at the sight of Blanca Lake. Bring a tank of water, food, and Novocaine. Mother Nature ain't fucking around with this trail. read more

This is a great hike, but by no means an easy or short one. There are a ton of switchbacks, some decent elevation and the trail is much much longer than expected due to the trailhead being washed out about 1-2 miles. This is going to add an extra ~2 miles to your hike at both the start and end to and from your vehicle. Make sure to pack a basic first aid kit, some snacks, a headlamp and ample water as this is not somewhere you want to get lost without the essentials for survival. I recommend some bug spray too as there were quite a lot of things flying around. I highly suggest you start early so that you can have more that sufficient time to get to the absolutely stunning viewpoint at the top, walk further down to the turquoise blue water, and then make your way down back to your car. You are mostly climbing the whole way up, with a small climb on the way back down. We also ran into a ranger on the way and she said she had seen a few bears near the trail earlier on in the day so stay alert, prepare well, and have fun :) read more

Blanca Lake - No filter. - Lakes Near Me

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Did this hike on Labor Day. I'm in pretty decent shape but definitely more of a novice when it comes to hiking. I just moved to the PNW so rarely do I ever camp or go on a hike, and every time I have it's been a family friendly activity. So, the hike was BRUTAL in my opinion. Brutal! However, it is doable! ESPECIALLY IF I DID IT. Seriously. If you aren't an experienced hiker or at least fairly regular hiker, then really think about if you will be able to push yourself harder than you're used to, mentally and physically. Again, It is totally doable and I made it and I don't even work out very much. Like ever. I just played sports in high school so I'm fairly athletic (I am almost 30 now). The end is amazing but it IS HARD to get to it and it is hard to get out. - 2 mile not so relaxing walk to the trailhead from the road everyone parks on. This pre-hike walk did help me get warmed up and my breathing going and got me mentally prepared for the hike. I think it takes the edge off of what you're about to do. -walking stick or poles are a must. A MUST. This made all the difference. Literally. I wouldn't have been able to do it without that. I also wore some of my old gym gloves which helped too. -bring flip flops or water shoes you can wear if you want to get close to or in the lake. Definitely soak your feet at least if you don't jump in the water. helps a lot!! -bring a lot of water. We ended up just filling one of our bottles with the lake water because we ran out. Drank it and it tastes amazing, but I don't know if it's safe...other hikers along the way told us they drank it too so that's all I needed. I just wanted water at that point. -take it sloooww. If you take it slow both ways, the hike is not as bad. Plan for 8 hours to get there and back so you can take your time. The uphill hike is extremely strenuous. I made stops at the switchbacks but tried to keep them short. Took a couple longer ones where I questioned my ability to keep going. Went through almost all my water within the first couple hours. Bring snacks. Keep your pack as lift as possible though. Took us 3 hours to get to the lake. Once you get to the meadow though you're good. Just keep dreaming of the meadow! ********START EARLY. We made the mistake of underestimating how long it would take, and had no idea about the first 2 miles. So we didn't actually start at the trailhead until 3:30. Got to the lake 3 hours later and then after 15 mins booked it out of there. The start of the hike back is SO HARD because you go uphill first and you're exhausted. Once you get up the hill though you're good. All down hill after that so not nearly as exhausting, BUT STILL DIFFICULT because of the roots and rocks. Took us 2.5 hours total to get back to the trailhead, and then maybe another 30, 40 minutes down the 2 mile gravel road back to the main road. The last 2 hours of getting back to the truck was AT NIGHT. I think we were out of there at 9:30, 9:45 pm? Awful. You do not want to do any part of this hike at night or in the dark. Nope. Nope. Nope. We had someone really experienced with us so that helped during the night part of the hike. Have fun!! Enjoy!! You'll feel empowered afterwards!! It's a beautiful beautiful location. read more

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This is tuff hike to attempt. We kind of planned this hike last minute and didn't get to the starting point until noon. Theres a gate blocking the road because its not accessible by car. Its about 2 - 2.5 miles to the trailhead and you'll have to climb over streams filled with rocks and fallen trees. It took us about 3.5 hours to get to the peak of the mountain but had to stop because it was covered in snow. We weren't prepare for snow so we had our lunch and headed back down which took another 2 hours so in total it took almost 6 hours and didn't even make it to the lake. Very disappointing but a cool adventure i guess. My advice before going would be, bring bells and bear spray. Also to pack more water because your gonna go through it quickly because how steep the hike is. I would not attempt this hike alone, it would be best to go with a group for the simple fact of getting injured out there could definitely be a problem. Its very isolated and we didnt have reception until half way back to town. I do wish they would have more signs either stating how far til you reach certain points on the trail and more signs showing were you access this location. Thats my spill on this place have fun and be safe. read more

Blanca Lake - Near the top - Lakes Near Me

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I've been hiking for years, but I have to say this may be one of the tougher trails I've been on. Plenty of incline and pretty high elevation for a 8 mile hike. The view on the top is definitely worth seeing. Would only go during the summer since it can be very difficult to hike during the wet season. Would recommend though! read more

I absolutely loved this hike, hands down the hardest one I have done. I am wanting to let you know, DO NOT go right now. So much snow is still up there witch made the trail really hard to see. We had to turn around about a quarter mile left to go, for safety reasons with the snow, so we did not get to see the lake :(. We are going to try back in August or September, there were several others who got as far as we did as well and called it quits because of how steep down the last quarter mile was with all the snow. Looking back, next time I will bring hiking sticks and wear actual hiking boots verses my Nike's, my feet got really wet and were frozen part of the time. read more

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Okay let me first get something clear, the hike itself is about 4 miles one way BUT what everyone doesn't mention is that since the road to get to the beginning of the hike is closed off due to construction, you have to walk an additional two miles to get to the start of the hike so by the end of the day, it was basically a 12 mile hike. But aside from that, the hike was no doubt tough! I kept myself sane by counting how many switchbacks we already walked(there's about 30.) After the switchbacks you keep walking for about another hour and then you'll finally reach the lake! It took about 3 hours to get to the top. I definitely recommend bringing a swimsuit to take a dip in, it was super refreshing! The water was freezing but it was worth it read more

Blanca Lake - Took a dip in, superrrrr cold but refreshing! - Lakes Near Me

Hiking to Blanca Lake was great experience, but the difficulty level is no joke! My wife and I attempted this hike on a short camping trip, on a recommendation from the campground hostess. As amateur hikers, our experience is certainly limited, but we agreed that the hike was absolutely worth it! We'll never do it again (there are too many great hikes to repeat, and we're not avid hikers to begin with), but do not regret pursuing this hike to the finish. A few things we enjoyed: hitting the top of the hike and knowing that it was downhill from there, seeing Virgin Lake and knowing that Blanca wasn't too much further, and the constant encouragement from fellow hikers that it would be worth it. Things we did not like: the 37 switchbacks (all ascending), the horseflies, and the short rock face hikers are forced to climb near the top of the hike. Advice to other, non-experienced hikers: bring more water than you think you'll need, bring snacks, and take breaks. Pushing through this hike is so incredibly worth it, but at times, it feels hopeless. We encourage everyone who's exploring this area to attempt this hike, and make sure to take pictures; you'll want them when you tell your friends about the beauty of the lake. Words simply don't describe it. read more

started at 10am but end up coming down in dark evening. normally it takes around 6 hours to do the round trip_ had a lunch at thr lake. pretty steep, even though it was sunny but the trail was still muddy. but its totally worth it. the lake looks like the jade in between two snow mts. read more

Blanca Lake - taken by my iphone. - Lakes Near Me

So worth the hike! Bring extra water and an actual meal to eat when you reach the lake (I made the mistake of bringing just one larabar). In the summer, definitely recommend packing some type of floatie and air pump. It's so worth floating across the lake on. Descending was worse than the climb, especially without tracking poles. If you don't have a pair then wearing knee brace works wonders! We arrived at the parking area around noon and found a parking spot no problem right at the road closed where the walk starts but maybe it was just luck and timing. read more

Blanca Lake - Lakes Near Me

Hard hike that will make you sweat and work for the view. Bring a lot of water and some food. Steep incline, loose footing, a lot of roots. It's July and there is still snow at the very top. This was the hardest hike I've been on with the most beautiful end result! This is not for beginners and definitely not for kids at all. I recommend leaving early in the day so you can enjoy time at the lake before heading back. There is still a washout so with the gate closed you need to add an extra 2 miles to your hike. Go at a good pace and you will be fine but remember the hike down is still difficult due to the difficult footing! Enjoy, it's AMAZING!!! read more

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How can I describe Blanca Lake? Blanca Lake is a place that makes you think of that one time your professor made a last ditch effort to make an impact on his students by saying, "life is not about the destination, but about the journey." The only difference being that Blanca Lake is a completely reversed notion to that ideal. Blanca Lake is indeed about the destination because, good Lord, it's gorgeous. The lake shimmers with a green you'd only imagine God and Bob Ross painting with. The icy cascades surround the lake like a frosty hug. It's almost like God designed a Lake just for Instagram. The only issues I had with the hike was that overall, the scenery going up the 11-13 mile trip was nothing in comparison to the prize at the end. I had about the same "wow" factor of seeing the hundreds of trees as I do staring ominously at a preset MacBook screensaver. Imagine going to a restaurant and, let's say they serve Pad Thai for this analogy. The waiter comes out and fills your cup of water consistently while you have already made your order. You're ecstatic by the consistent refills, but your order has still not arrived. Sooner or later you begin to lose hope and begin pouring your fifth glass of water into a bowl trying to convince yourself it's Tom Yum soup until, out of the shadows of the back kitchen steps out Gordon Ramsey holding a silver platter with a lid atop. He shakes your hand and reveals two tickets to Disneyland and also tells you your Pad Thai was personally made and it's on the house. That is Blanca Lake. It's that gorgeous. read more

Blanca Lake - 12 miles later and I'm still hyped about a lake. - Lakes Near Me

This is one tough hike that rewards you for all of your efforts with one of the most majestic views. Despite being a climb (hiking sticks recommended) the trail is in good condition read more

Blanca Lake - Lakes Near Me

This hike is not 7.5 miles. I map this route and my gps is giving me 13.59 miles long and 235 floors high. This is very hard hike with some crazy terrain. We went on a day that it was raining at the lake but not on the ground. It gets cold up there. All I can say is do not attempt if you are a beginner. read more

Ditto what everyone else said. This hike is HARD. But SO WORTH IT. Long story: I started out as a sad out of shape girl at the beginning of the summer. And as a sick reward to myself, I decided if i got my booty in shape and shed a few pounds I was going to do Blanca Lake at the end of the summer. I knew I had to become mentally and physically stronger to complete this hike and I worked hard enough to do it! And it was the most rewarding, most hard hike that I have ever done. It was so fun and so worth it. We started at 10 am on the Sunday before Labor Day. It was a bit of a misty, cloudy, kind of cold day. And the parking lot maybe had around 8-10 cars occupying it. We were glad because we knew this hike was popular and we didn't want to run into a lot of people. As we started, I was anticipating that it would be hard part right off the bat. But it was pretty moderate in the beginning. It did get increasingly difficult as we got further and further. But it felt good and I actually felt good!! We did run into a few people on the way up which means they had to have at least started at 6 am! crazy! We finally reached the "top" after about 2ish hours and realized we still had a ways to go. We walked through this beautiful meadow which was a nice break from the trees and trail that we had been on for most of the hike. Then this is where it got interesting. Because it had been raining for the majority of the weekend, the trail was quite muddy and slippery. Well this part of the hike is where you had wished it was sunny and dry. Because it was a steep decline down to the lake and it was a bit scary trying to navigate the slick trail/rocks/wooded stairs. This is also the part of the hike where I said to myself and eventually aloud, "OK, THIS ISN'T FUN ANYMORE!" I got over it quickly as we made it to the bottom, I started to see little peekaboo sights of the beautiful blue lake and my energy was renewed!! A little bit of a trek once you actually see the lake and everything opens up and you are rewarded!!! Short story: Took us around 6 hours total (3 up, 2 and a half-ish down). A good incline up, an even more intense decline. Sneakers will do, albeit mine were very muddy, I found a sweet hiking stick at the trailhead which definitely came in handy! Super rewarding hike. You will be tired but you will be proud once you have completed it. Have fun!! read more

My fiance and I attempted this hike on April 28, 2016. We did research and knew that there was a hard storm that came through and washed out the roads a week or two prior. We were informed that we had to park 5 miles out and walk towards the trail head. Sure, why not? Luckily for us, we were able to get as closed as 1/2 mile from the trailhead. We were the only people here during this entire time. During our hike, the trails looked like a hot mess. Falling trees left and right. We had to climb over a big log during the ascent. So far so good. We have overcome about 4 obstacles already. Shall we continue? Yes. About 2 hours in, our trails were covered by snow at the top! @)#@#*)@ We were so close, yet so far.We tried to follow foot prints from people as well as dogs. Someone actually left crackers on the snow to leave track for their return. We eventually turned around once we didn't see anymore foot prints or clues. We were probably 20+ switchbacks into our hike. On the way down, we admonish this other couple at the giant log that was blocking the trails about our discovery at the top. We just saved them 2 hours. We will return back to Seattle to conquer this hike. Yelpers, please keep everyone updated on your status for this hike. :) We will come back in August or September to finish this hike. **shakes fist** read more

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MAKE SURE TO BRING BUG SPRAY!! My friends and I were bitten everywhere. I wasn't too in shape for this hike but was able to get up in 2.5 hours while my friends were able to go through in 2 hours. The hike was worth the 37 switchbacks and 3300 feet elevation (1000 feet per mile). The most tiring part was the hike 'down'. There was a small 600 feet elevation hike up before actually heading down the mountain. If you need a hike difficulty comparison, I would say Blanca Lake is slightly easier than Mailbox Peak (if you were to give Mailbox Peak a 6/10 difficulty, Blanca Lake would be 5/10 because of the up and down parts). I usually don't repeat hikes, but I would definitely hike this one again, the lake was so cold, clear, clean, and beautiful! read more

Its a great hike- but not for the faint of heart. Views are rewarding and beautiful. More enjoyable if you are fit -hike is a pretty good challenge! People never talk about what to bring. I did this hike on a hot day- at a minimum- bring at least 100 oz of water (2-3 large water bottles) and not just snacks- but lunch and snacks packed with protein, etc. This is about 5-6 hours for the total hike. And as noted in some reviews- roads were washed out so add 2 miles each way (total of 4 extra miles). Fun hike though! Well worth the effort! read more

We had an awesome time at Blanca Lake! The hike up to the top of the mountain is definitely challenging. So if your are up for the elevation bump then I recommend it. Just remember there are tons of switchbacks and you will get tired very fast. Take it easy, put your head down and trail on. You'll get to the very top when you climb this very large rock, just over the rock there are a couple of clear patches of land, then that's where the hike starts to head downhill. You'll come across a smaller lake, but don't worry, that's not Blanca. Pretty soon after you'll start to hear a loud waterfall, then you'll hit lake Blanca lookout. Once you hit the base of the lake I suggest that you carefully cross the sea of logs. Keep heading along the coast of the lake, there will be less people and better water to swim in! Overall we had a great time! I recommend this hike to anyone!!! Just be prepared for a long hike in and a long hike out! Totally worth it! Thanks Mother Nature!!! :) read more

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This hike was amazing and worth the drive out there. It's a super tough trail...took us 3 hours up and 2 hours down and we are fit and in shape. Make sure you time it correctly....we only had about 30-40 mins to stare at the beauty that is Blanca Lake before we knew we had to start our descent due to limited daylight hours. We are east coast natives and it continues to blow me away that we live in a state with this kinda beauty all over. This is definitely a hike to check off your bucket list. Tho...know that even on a perfectly sunny day...you might spend the 3 hours ascending to the lake..only to find it covered in clouds/fog. Just one of those PNW risks ;-) Still worth it tho! read more