Dutch Lakes Trail

Dutch Lakes Trail is an 18.8-mile out-and-back from Inside North Fork Road to a high basin below Longfellow Peak. The mapped footpath runs about 9.32 miles one way; the full distance includes returning over the same corridor. Allow roughly 10 to 12 hours for the long approach, about 2,100 feet of climbing, creek crossings and slow footing. This suits experienced hikers who are comfortable with a faint trail and route-finding, not a quick lakeside stop.

Park on the north side of Dutch Creek, then walk along the road to a sharp bend left. The unmarked path branches off on the right. The lower miles climb gradually through burned hills mixed with surviving forest, with smaller feeder creeks and fallen timber along the way. Some tread is washed or overgrown; at Dutch Creek, water has cut into the trail and makes the line harder to follow. Expect several unbridged crossings and take time to choose safe footing.

The drainage becomes more enclosed as you go. The upper trail climbs more steeply by switchbacks through cliffs, then eases into open alpine country. There is no maintained shortcut to the lakes, so plan for the full day out and back.

Dutch Lakes sit at the head of the basin beneath Longfellow Peak, between Dutch and Camas ridges. A distinct rock feature on the peak is known as Paul Bunyan’s Cabin. The shore is the reward for the long approach: frame the lake with the peak behind it to show the basin’s scale.

The west-side hills and meadows here once supported homesteads; now the trail feels remote soon after leaving the road. Burned slopes alternate with surviving stands, and wildflowers such as fireweed and geranium are reported in the open burn areas. There are no trail-specific food or service details documented for the route, so do not count on a stop at the trailhead or along the way.