North Cascades National Park, WA
A shaded climb ends at a turquoise lake beneath granite towers.
Overview
Blue Lake Trail is a 4.4-mile out-and-back from Blue Lake Trailhead to a turquoise alpine lake beneath granite walls. Expect about 1,050 feet of climbing and roughly three hours for the round trip, with a long stretch of rocky, rooted tread. It is a rewarding half-day hike if you want a mountain-lake destination without spending the whole day on trail. The small parking lot often fills; if it is full, choose another hike instead of improvising along the highway.
Parkwolf’s verdictThe lake makes this climb worth itMap & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
North Cascades Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for North Cascades National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the North Cascades audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Blue Lake: A Half-Day Mountain Hike“You're nearing the Blue Lake trailhead, a good choice for a half-day hike to turquoise water beneath granite walls.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf North Cascades Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
About 1.7 miles from the trailhead, a fork leads left toward climbing routes on Liberty Bell. Stay on the main Blue Lake Trail to keep this hike focused on the lake. At the destination, the path crosses the outlet on rocks or a makeshift log bridge, then passes an old log cabin to shore boulders. The logs can flex, so take the crossing carefully. The 4.4-mile distance ends at Blue Lake and does not include the separately named Tarn Loop.
The trail starts with a short dip and several boardwalks; the highway is the last thing you see around the first quarter mile. Then comes a steady climb through shady, rocky forest. The tread can be dusty in summer and has enough roots and rocks to watch your footing. A meadow just under halfway brings Cascade azalea and lupine, with Early Winters Spire above it. After a small creek crossing, the route returns to forest before opening to views of Cutthroat Peak and Whistler Mountain in the last half mile.
Blue Lake sits at about 6,254 feet, ringed by granite and scattered larches. Late September into early October is the classic red-and-gold season. Mountain goats are sometimes seen near the lake, though a sighting is never guaranteed. From the shore, frame the turquoise water with a boulder or larch in the foreground and the rock walls behind it; that gives the view a sense of scale.
This is a Forest Service-managed hike in the North Cascades Highway corridor. A day-use fee or accepted recreation pass is required. The paved lot has about 20 spaces, including one accessible space; it often fills. There is a vault toilet and picnic tables, but no potable water. Dogs are allowed on leash. Highway 20 closes seasonally in winter, which cuts off access to the trailhead. Washington Pass Overlook is a separate short paved stop about 0.8 mile east; do not count it as part of this hike.
Wildlife
101 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
70 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
20 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
77 sightingsSooty GrouseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
23 sightingsWhite-tailed PtarmiganMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
75 sightingsWestern ToadMost seen around 8 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across North Cascades. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateBridge Creek (Pacific Crest) Trail12.8 mi · 7 hr · 2.3 mi awayA long PCT descent from SR 20 to Bridge Creek Camp.
ModerateMcAlester Lake Trail15.2 mi · 10 hr · 2.3 mi awayA long climb through forest and meadows to a Cascade lake
ChallengingStiletto Peak Trail10.4 mi · 10 hr · 2.3 mi awayClimb through flower meadows to the remains of a fire lookout
ChallengingPacific Crest Trail: SR 20 to High Bridge18.1 mi · 10 hr · 2.3 mi awayA long PCT traverse from SR 20 to High Bridge.
ChallengingRainbow / McAlester Pass Loop31.5 mi · 1 day · 2.3 mi awayA four-day loop links two high lakes across two rugged passes.
ChallengingCutthroat Pass via Pacific Crest Trail10.1 mi · 5.5 hr · 2.7 mi awayAn alpine PCT climb to Cutthroat Pass and lake views.
EasyRainy Lake Trail #3102 mi · 54 min · 2.8 mi awayA paved mile to a lake, waterfalls, and glacier views.
ChallengingHeather–Maple Pass Loop7.2 mi · 5 hr · 2.8 mi awayTwo passes and two lakes reward a big alpine ridge circuit.Parkwolf’s North Cascades ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
