McAlester Lake Trail

From the parking area, cross State Route 20 and use the short connector to the Pacific Crest Trail, also called Bridge Creek Trail here. It descends gently through forest and avalanche paths, crossing small creeks, then enters North Cascades National Park. At the Twisp Pass Trail junction, continue past the Fireweed hiker and stock camps before turning onto the McAlester Creek Trail. That last stretch runs mostly through forest with occasional meadows, climbing steadily before steeper switchbacks reach the lake. The route crosses into Lake Chelan National Recreation Area along the way.

The East Fork of McAlester Creek is unbridged. Snowmelt can make it difficult or impossible to cross in early summer, often June or early July, so check conditions before committing to the long approach.

McAlester Lake is shallow and sits in a small basin ringed by meadows and forest. A designated hiker and stock camp is at its north end; the lakeshore is fragile, so keep camping to the established sites. Black bears are common in the area, and proper food storage matters.

The trail continues about a mile beyond the lake to the broad meadows of McAlester Pass. That is an optional extension and is not included in the distance above. The meadow trail gives the pass approach its most open view; keep some of the path in the foreground to show the scale of the landscape.

Bridge Creek Trailhead is at State Route 20 mile 159, just east of Rainy Pass. The parking area is on the highway's north side; cross the road to the connector on the south side. A Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful pass is required to park. Overnight stays require a limited backcountry permit. Pets cannot enter this route from the Bridge Creek access.