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 Reporter |
Summary: The trail starts off on an old road and then climbs steadily through second-growth forest. There is a trail all the way around the lake. This hike is popular year-round, some people ice skate on the lake in winter. Trailhead: From I-5 take Exit 194/City Center/StevensPass and drive east 6 miles on Hwy 2. Go north on Hwy 9 and turn right on Hwy 92. Stay on Hwy 92 for 8 miles until you reach Granite Falls and turn left on the Mountain Loop Hwy. Drive 13 miles and turn right on Mount Pilchuck Road (FS 42) and go a little over 1 mile to the parking lot and trailhead. (Lat:48.0827 Lon:-121.77487) Trail Guides for Heather Lake Trail: Hiking Snohomish County by Ken Wilcox (Northwest Wild Books) Pacific Northwest Hiking by Ron C. Judd & Dan A. Nelson (Foghorn Press) Best Seasons: Year-Round User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: Darrington Ranger District 425-259-7911 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Robbie Hochreiter, who has posted 24 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 10 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Ronald on 11/26/2011 11/26/11.... Nice hike. Moderate difficulty going up. A breeze coming down. Lake was frozen and snow was deep around lake perimeter trail - too deep to circle the lake. Nice old forest growth. Upper half is a little rocky. View at top is pretty nice.
Reviewed by Bob Hankinson on 5/8/2011 wothwhile hike, did yesterday in the rain. starts where the Mt Pilchuck road is closed for the winter. Drive past Verlot ranger station and turn right immediately after the bridge. Can buy a parking pass at most gas stations near Verlot or at the ranger station. Top half was on well trodden snow and trailfinding would be hard after new heavy snowfall. Trail is fairly rough. The amphitheater of rocks around the lake at 2400' rising to 4500' is impressive. Stop off at the "General Store" before for snacks and candy, and for an expresso afterwards - warm welcome and stores need the business with the Mountain Loop Highway being closed half the year.
Reviewed by Pavel on 9/6/2010 Easy hike for the rainy day like today. The trail is easy to follow. You can buy parking permit for $5 on the trail head (no need to for the seasson parking pass)
Reviewed by bb on 8/31/2010 Went up Monday, Aug 30 - Only one up there. Beautiful. A fairly good workout in the middle. Very little mud. Had some rain coming down so got pretty soaked from the low shrubs on the trail that had lots of moisture. 
Reviewed by rocky on 8/31/2010 We had one 69 year male, one 40 year old mle and a 11 year girl. The girl was like a mountain goat and we men had to be careful. It was the 29th August 2010 and rainy and very foggy at the top.. It was tough but well worth the hike. One needs to dress in layers. It was in the 40's at top. Loose pants/shorts and shoes with ankle support are a necessity. The hike is 6 miles and very difficult at the boulders near the top. The trail was very narrow in places and no railing. A dog that did not mind or unruly child should be left at home. The trail worked the thigh muscles on the way up and the knees on the way down.
Reviewed by Kristen on 8/30/2010 Great hike..although I would also say this is a moderate hike, not "easy". Would definitely do again, but with hiking boots to support my ankles as the rough terrain did a number on me in my non-hiking shoes. Great for kids and dogs as well. Enjoy!
Reviewed by Travis&Carri on 8/19/2010 This is a Beautiful lake!! The hike is listed as easy by this reporter, however, By the National Park Service it is a moderate hike....We agree on the latter. There are treacherous areas that are narrow with a craggy rock path, and areas that you climb across in ground rock faces that if wet would be difficult for some...the elevation gain is really a misnomer NPS says 500ft then contradicts with 850ft and here it is 1100ft...I am thinking the 1100ft gain is the closest, it reminds me of a steeper Rattlesnake Lake WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY more narrow but quite a bit shorter. All things considered this is a great hike with remarkable views and during the week it is very private and romantic. wink wink
Reviewed by Cherrill on 6/19/2010 I found this site after I did the hike. This was not an easy hike for me. I take regular five mile walks with my dog and thought I could handle this hike. There are several seriously muddy spots (suck your shoes off muddy), and between the mud, the loose, wet rocks, and the little streams, footing was often difficult for me. I agree with the other reviewer who said the trail down was hard on the knees. I did make it to the lake, which is beautiful, but the hike took longer than I expected and was harder than I anticipated. I would like to try it again now that I know what to expect. My dog loved it. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Washington Hiking, Washington Trails, Washington Hikes, Snohomish County Hiking, Snohomish County Trails, Snohomish County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
