The hike to Blue Lake in Washington’s North Cascades packs a lot into just a few miles. The trail is surrounded by granite peaks, quiet forests, and quaint meadows.
In early autumn, the Blue Lake trail becomes one of the easiest and best places to see larches, a tree that lights up the mountains as it changes color from green to golden yellow.
And even if you don’t visit in autumn, there is still something to see in the spring and summer when bursts of wildflowers dot the trail’s meadows.
In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know before hiking to Blue Lake in the North Cascades, including how to get there, what to expect on the trail, and tips from our own experience to help you make the most of your hike to this mountain lake in Washington.
Blue Lake Trail Complete Hiking Guide
Blue Lake is one of the North Cascades’ most popular day hikes. It’s a 4.4-mile round-trip hike with about 1,000 feet of elevation gain. It’s moderately challenging but still very manageable for most hikers.
The trail is super popular in early October during larch season, when the needle-like leaves of these deciduous conifers turn a golden yellow color, painting the trail and surrounding mountains with warm autumn tones.
The hike begins gently, traversing over a series of boardwalks that have been built to protect the trail. This flat stretch serves as a warm-up before the trail changes to dirt and begins its steady climb through the forest.
It’s not a long before the trees open up to a wide meadow with views of a jagged, rocky ridge overlooking the area. It’s a teaser of what’s to come.
After crossing a small creek, the trail dips back into the forest. Soon after, you’ll emerge once again to a view of the Liberty Bell Group, a cluster of granite spires that are known for their rock climbing routes.
From there, the trees thin out, and you’ll catch glimpses of Cutthroat Peak and Whistler Mountain to the right as you continue up the trail.
As you approach the lake, the sound of its outflow stream lets you know you’re close.
And just a few steps further, Blue Lake comes into view. It’s a cold, clear mountain lake, surrounded by cliffs of gray granite.
Most hikers stop at the large boulder on the right-hand shore to take a break, snap photos, and take in the scenery.
But if you’ve got the extra time or energy, hop on the path that partially circles the lake and another that climbs up the ridge on the right for a higher view. Honestly, there is no bad view of Blue Lake, so enjoy your time there!
Blue Lake Hike Details
- Hike Distance: The total distance of the hike is about 4.4 miles, out-and-back.
- Hike Duration: The hike takes about 3 hours total, including time spent hanging out at Blue Lake.
- Hike Difficulty: The Blue Lake trail difficulty is moderate. The trail is in good shape, well-marked, and easy to follow. The trail is mostly shaded, but you should bring at least 1 liter of water.
- Hike Incline: The total incline for this hike is about 1000 feet. The trail is uphill almost the entire way, but it’s not overly steep.
- Dogs are allowed on this trail, but must be on a leash.
- A Northwest Forest Pass is required to park at the trailhead for Blue Lake.
How to get to the Blue Lake Trail in the North Cascades
The trailhead for Blue Lake is located on Highway 20 in the North Cascades. It’s near Washington Pass, one of the most scenic stretches of road in the entire state.
There’s a paved parking lot at the trailhead, along with a vault toilet. However, during larch season in early October, the lot fills up quickly, especially on weekends. If that happens, park along Highway 20 instead. That’s what we did, and the extra walking distance was minimal.
The map location below for the Blue Lake trailhead is accurate and can be used to navigate there. Don’t forget your Northwest Forest Pass to park at the trailhead for Blue Lake.
Blue Lake Trail: Our Experience
Like many hikers, we came to Blue Lake in early fall to witness the short but magical transformation of the larch trees from green to golden yellow.
We arrived at the trailhead on a Saturday afternoon. I know, a bit risky considering it was a weekend during larch season. That’s when this trail gets notoriously crowded. But we hoped that showing up later in the day might mean less crowds. It didn’t.
When we pulled up, the parking lot was completely full. But no big deal, there was plenty of parking along the wide shoulder of Highway 20. We found a spot there, and plenty of others had done the same.
Despite the full trailhead, the trail itself didn’t feel overwhelming. Sure, there were plenty of people, but everyone was stoked to be there. It was a positive environment, surrounded by people who were just as excited as we were!
The first stretch over the boardwalks through the forest ended at a clearing. That’s where we got our first real look at the larches. Some were still clinging to green, others already glowing yellow. The sight of the larches fired us up with motivation for the rest of the hike.
As we hiked higher, the larches grew closer to the trail, and soon we were walking among them. Unaware of the spectacle they were creating, their golden needles were backlit by the afternoon sun, drawing out visitors to witness their transformation.
But we weren’t done just yet. After a steady stretch through the trees, we heard the sound of flowing water. It was only a bit further when I realized that the stream was coming from Blue Lake itself.
Just a few steps further, we caught our first sight of the lake, surrounded by mountains of granite dotted by larch trees of golden yellow.
Most people gathered on the large boulder at the lake’s right shore. We decided to head left instead. The path followed a quieter trail that hugged the shoreline. That side was peaceful, and we were able to have a moment to ourselves to play on the lake’s shores.
Once the crowds had thinned out, we made our way over to the boulder. From that vantage point, we looked across the lake toward the treeless granite ridge on the far side. Pockets of snow had already started to collect in the cracks and shadows. Winter was on the way.
The sun dipped behind the peaks, and the temperature dropped fast. So we threw on our vests and started our descent. Blue Lake was our first larch hike of the season, and all it did was leave us craving more.
Blue Lake North Cascades Photos
Are you following our Washington blog series?
We’re based in Seattle and have done tons of things all over Washington. To help fellow adventurers, we’ve put together guides to the best places we found. You can check them out by clicking the links below.
- Our ultimate Seattle guide: 29 Incredible Things to Do in Seattle
- Our Seattle hiking guide: 11 Incredible Hikes Near Seattle
- Best things to do in Mount Rainier: 12 Unique Things to Do in Mount Rainier
- Our ultimate Mount Rainier hiking guide: 20 Incredible Hikes in Mount Rainier
- Best day trip from Seattle: 11 Awesome Things to Do on Bainbridge Island
- Best winter weekend trip in Washington: 8 Amazing Things to Do in Leavenworth in Winter
I hope you enjoyed our guide to the Blue Lake Trail in the North Cascades! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions 🐸
Thanks for your complete guide to the Blue Lake trailhead. It is so pretty.
Just wondering what season is the best to have the yellow larch scenery?
Hi Nam, the larches turn yellow usually around the beginning of October. By the second half of the month their yellow needles begin to fall off once it starts to snow. It is a really short season.