Cavell Lake Loop

If you want classic Mount Edith Cavell views without the calf burn, this is your move. The Cavell Lake Loop is a short, easy circuit around a turquoise glacial lake with big, front-row looks at Edith Cavell and the surrounding moraines. It’s a mellow walk with minimal elevation change, family-friendly, and rewards you with mirror-like reflections when the wind is calm.

The loop is roughly 1 mile total, skirting lakeshore nooks, light forest, and a few open meadows. Expect shifting perspectives of Edith Cavell and glimpses of glacial features fed by meltwater higher up the valley. In summer, keep an eye out for wildflowers and listen for Clark’s nutcrackers. Marmots sometimes whistle from the rocks, and elk or even mountain goats are occasionally spotted in the broader area.

Start near the Astoria Trailhead parking by the HI Mount Edith Cavell Hostel off Mount Edith Cavell Road. The path is straightforward and well-trodden, though it can be muddy early/late season. Facilities are basic (pit toilets at the trailhead; bring your own water). The lake is glacial-cold—admire, don’t swim.

Crowds are lighter here than on nearby Cavell Meadows, but summer days still get busy. Photographers love this one at sunrise or evening when the water is calm and the light is kinder.

Best time to hike: When Mount Edith Cavell Road is open—typically summer through early fall. July–September brings clear trails, wildflowers, and your best odds for calm-water reflections. Go early or late in the day for parking and better light.

If you’re craving a bigger objective with higher, broader views, Cavell Meadows is the marquee option nearby. But for a quick-hit payoff with minimal effort, this loop is absolutely worth the stop.