After Trout Lake, difficulty increases. Once you reach the river crossing, you will notice that you have to follow rock cairns, as the river washed out this part of trail. From Trout Lake on, it starts getting steep, at about 2.6 miles in. Easy hike 1.7 miles, each way, 500’ elevation gain . The lake itself is warm enough to swim in, and it also is a refreshing way to end a hike. We just happened to arrive on a Saturday - probably bad timing on our part. There doesn’t seem to be anywhere to camp here, at least that could be seen from the trail. 2. There was one larger section where we were fortunate to see that a small hole had formed over one of the drainage cuts (suspiciously boot shaped, so I assume someone else was not as fortunate) so we were able to step across the drainage cut without falling through the snow. The ones that weren’t (about 6 miles in) were a little sketchy with consequence of a fall down a steep hillside, but we found we could walk a little below the trail on rocks to mitigate that. Out and back, about 15 miles. Overall fun, but tiresome if your conditioning isn’t great and your pack is heavy. lake is beautiful! Air-filled with moisture provides the nectar of life here, allowing old-growth cedars to flourish. Directions from Skykomish: Drive 0.5 mile east on U.S. Hwy. After the fall rains the waterfalls were quite amazing! Lots of climbing, a rocky path and the trail is very exposed to the sun. Big Heart is beautiful and very popular. The trail quickly enters the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and joins the West Fork Foss at.4 miles. save hide report. Another Large, beautiful lake with a lakeshore trail. If you have your head down, it's easy to pass this junction to Malachite Lake. Beautiful views everywhere you look once you get past the first couple lakes. The issue was the bugs. I guess this is the norm for summer hiking in Seattle. Once you reach this point, the hard part is behind you. At the Malachite Lake trail junction, you’re at 4.17 miles, and the uphill is more gradual, and at 4.4 miles, you reach Copper Lake, another beautiful subalpine lake surrounded on three sides by steep, barren slopes, interspersed with clingy alpine firs. We got the last parking spot at the trailhead and so that was our first clue it was going to be busy. Forest Service road 6835 to West Fork Foss Lakes Trail 1064: 2.2 miles to the Forest Service road 68/6835 junction and another two miles to the trailhead at elevation 1,600-feet. Fishing was good and my partner and I went out on the lake in our raft, which was a lot of fun. Copper Lake sits among cliffs, meadows and talus slopes. The lake walk itself rises and falls with the terrain, and there are several great viewpoints and a few campsites at the Northern end of the lake. Don’t be too put off by the reviews mentioning the road. If you're moving, nothing bothers you but as soon as you stop they swarm. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Some really well built/maintained bridges to cross the river a couple times on the way up too. There are many lakes, do it is a good idea to know which Lake you're looking for. My next trip up will be to Lake Malachite. There was people already hanging out in the day use area, so we just wandered around. The lake was beautiful and totally worth the hike. Just as I was about to leave the lake, I met a hiker coming back from Big Heart. Set out in the morning and was impressed by the beautiful forest, river, and well-maintained trail. Still a great trail, but a very different experience this time. Between mud, the rocks, the river crossings, and the snow, we would have been very wet or had sore ankles. A group of ten hikers with the Seattle Conditioning Hiking Series set out from the West Fork Foss 1064 trailhead for an out-and-back hike of Trout, Malachite, Copper and (if time allowed) Little Heart Lakes. Continuing uphill to your final destination at Big Heart Lake, you find that once again, you’re steadily going up. Great for bringing along little ones, as we brought our 3 year old and he loved it! A little further from water, but the views were spectacular. Description. A small lake that is a popular destination for dayhikes, and for fishing. I realize I just reviewed this trail a few weeks ago, but I didn't get very far and decided to try again. Everyone we saw wore masks! This trail goes by Trout Lake. It doesn’t have good access points and many times we tried little trails to get down only to end up on a rocky, impassable cliff. We ended up going about a mile past the lake and made it a ten mile day. We passed some people who were really struggling during this segment and it could've been made a lot easier with more prep. Just bring a gallon of spray. The single-lane dirt road was easily passable with some potholes (as of Oct 2018). Big Heart Lake via West Fork Foss Lakes Trail. A gorgeous trip. West Fork Foss Lakes Trail is a 1,272 m blue singletrack trail located near Alpine Lakes Wilderness Washington. Big Heart Lakeis the most remote and highest-elevation on-trail lake in the West Fork Foss Riversystem. Description. No snow on trail before Little Heart. This hike takes you past 5 lakes and a few different waterfalls, so if you don't wish to push on to Big Heart, you won't be disappointed! Went on a Sunday and there were only a few groups. You can get either pass at the US Ranger Station located here: 74920 Stevens Pass Hwy Skykomish, WA 98288. Was shooting for Big Heart Lake, and got a late start, so decided not to do the side route to Malachite. This trail goes by Trout Lake, Middle Copper Falls, Upper Copper Falls, Malachite Falls, and Copper Lake Falls. I had the same experience as Simon from a few weeks back. The ferns and moss then give way to wildflowers and eventually heather and alpine scrubs. The trail begins fairly flat and well made. The falls is visible from the West Fork Foss Lakes trail. Eventually, you break out into the open, and you can see a huge waterfall cascading down barren rock. He indicated that it was very busy with campers and it might be difficult to find a spot to set up. We didn't need spikes but poles were helpful. There is a part on the road where you go around a corner surrounded by trees. In the summer I could see this as an easy hike for all skill levels but in the winter I would rate it as a difficult. Outlet for Trout Lake, and continues feeding the West Fork Foss River. All of Foss Lakes area is heavily traveled; expect weekends to be crowded. Skykomish District A spectacular deep blue lake, surrounded by barren peaks, still adorned in small snow fields, and sparse alpine firs. We headed back toward Little Heart and found some great campsites there. Beautiful sights all around. All in all, a really great weekend hike. Beautiful! Don't let that keep you from the hike though! The trail has been washed out by the river. It's a very peaceful area with awesome access to the lake itself. Overall, this is still a very cool trail and well maintained. Starts off really easy to get your legs warmed up and then starts climbing after passing Trout Lake. We got to the trailhead early, but I wasn't feeling the best so we took it slow and we ended up turning around at Little Heart. They seemed to be the worst at Big Heart Lake. Lots of bugs. There were a few other campers around the lake, but it was very peaceful. It would be awesome if they added more beach area. Central Cascades. Next time we're going to bring a little floating pattle boat so we can fish. just long enough to feel like "where the heck is this lake." Some fantastic views, there is one outlook that is just off trail on the way there that you should see on your way. The first two miles are mild and cross the West Fork Foss on a sturdy bridge to arrive at Trout Lake. The single-lane dirt road was easily passable with some potholes (as of Oct 2018). Downhill hikers have been throwing their gravity assisted momentum around and not pausing for those moving uphill. At about a mile in, a nice bridge crosses the West Fork of the Foss River and shortly thereafter you are greeted with one of the Largest Douglas Fir Trees standing in the state. Malachite and Copper Lakes, West Fork Foss River, Skykomish - July 17 LEADER Incident report. Snowshoed from about two miles from the trail head because there was too much snow to get through with the jeep. Discover trails like West Fork Foss River and Lakes Washington, find information like trail length, elevation, difficulty, activities, and nearby businesses. Considering how deep the channel is, this was a shame. Some amazingly large trees along the way (see picture). Kid friendly trail. Trail in good condition to Big Heart Lake. It starts at the trailhead, where cars were parked down the road and even into the sweet trailhead campsite that I had mentioned before. The West Fork trail is barely a trail for the first ½ mile; the West Fork has overflowed one too many times and the trail is a rocky mess. 10/10. Bug netting currently is a must they get quite thick in areas. It is a 14.6-mile (23.5 km) round-trip hike from the trailhead, just off of the Foss River Road. It was a bit like a public beach with campers staking out territory by the water. I have been taking my little ones here for three years. Some of the rock cairns here can be misleading. ... Washington › Alpine Lakes Wilderness › Trout Lake via West Fork Foss Lakes Trail. Great hike - Snow however became a problem and decided to bail between little heart lake and big heart lake. There is, from here, another hikers trail that heads off towards Angeline Lake, that lies just over the ridgeline, that does not show up on some maps. This puts the prior stump graveyard into context and makes one wonder just how resplendent this valley once was. On the other side of Stevens Pass, just about an hour from Leavenworth, sits the West Fork Foss Lakes Trail. Lots of campsites and we passed three trail workers on our way who said they were so bored because they had nothing to do haha. West Fork Foss Lakes Trail 1064. Almost all the campsites were open. The lake is located at the eastern base of Camp Robber Peakin the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, within King County, Washington. I suspect that little and big Heart lakes would be a difficult trail. The next day (Mon), we hiked out. This was a great hike. Great lake, and nice camp spots. Ha! share. Bugs are still a bit heavy, but snow is off the trail and mud is about gone. Bring bug spray! Despite its size there really aren't that many campsites, and throughout the day they filled quickly. Overall the beauty and experience is worth the trip Enjoy! Trail is very clear, but quite a hump getting up to Copper Lake. There are several campsites here, along the banks of the lake, and further back into the woods. It was rocky but nothing you couldn't just step over. This seemed to be the destination for a lot of day hikers. Angeline is a short distance away, however from what I understand it's a hard and exposed scramble over rock, so I don't recommend going into it when you're already drained. Log in or sign up to leave a … Trout Lake via West Fork Foss Lakes Trail is a 3 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Skykomish, Washington that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. The Copper lake trail is quite easy at the beginning. It offers an entirely different climatic region, four breathtaking lake views, technical terrain, and a moment for pause. West Fork Foss River and Lakes Day hike from W Foss trail head to to saddle south of Pt 5359, between Lakes Big Heart and Angeline. We saw many tired hikers who had wanted to stay in the area but couldn't find any room, so they were forced to double back or push on to Angeline. From here sitting with my back against a convenient rock face, you can look left, and see the lake and surrounding peaks, and look right, and see Mt. Trip Report By. It's also oddly humid; among the ferns it almost felt like we'd left the PNW and found the tropics. Views open to Shoestring Falls and the rocky ridge of Malachite Peak as it winds past debris from a 2006 flood to a new footbridge over the river (.98 miles : 1,675’). Description This trail begins at the very end of NF-68 at a decent sized parking area with registration forms, a restroom, and information kiosk. Amazing trees, bridge, varying terrain. As you climb towards a massive waterfall, you bounce between woods and clearings. The open here is traversed with switchbacks through scrub brush, and it’s steep. Despite the grand size of the falls, only portions of it are visible from any given spot, though the falls is visible for about 1 mile (1.6 km) along the West Fork Foss Trail (#1062). A wonderful day trip. Camping at Trout was so quiet and the ground so soft we couldn't even hear others walking by on the trail - side note, it was so quiet that you also couldn't hear someone walking up to the toilet, when you happened to be sitting on it, until you made awkward eye contact. I planned to do 2 nights at Big Heart, and cut it short after the first night. If you want to experience some of the ruggedness and wild beauty that exists in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area, this is a great hike that will cover all those bases. We had passed a pair of hikers that said campgrounds in Copper were dryer so we chose that. We did see trout! Was lucky to find a spot and glad to find the toilet at the trailhead open (it wasn't before). At roughly a half-mile cross a sturdy bridge and continue climbing through deepening forest for another mile to Trout Lake. You could see/hear Malachite Falls in the distance, and this was also where the path started getting difficult. a beginner, a dog and an expert hiker all had a ton of fun :) trail is kinda hard to find right before the glassy lake so be diligent! Well-traveled trails on the West Fork of the Foss River to Big Heart Lake and the East fork of the Foss River to Opal Lake can be connected via the High Alpine Route over or around Iron Cap Mountain. After the junction to Copper Lake, we soon began to see snow along the trail. Big Heart Lake via West Fork Foss Lakes Trail is a 13.4 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Skykomish, Washington that features a lake and is rated as difficult. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until September. The cornice on one of them had it’s own zip code, and the big sucker, Mt. I'd go back again! Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest My 8 and 12 year old had no problems. Trout Lake via West Fork Foss Lakes Trail . Trout Lake via West Fork Foss Lakes Trail . about 2 miles up from little heart lake trying to get to big heart, it was still pretty steep and snowy and I wasn't prepared to tackle it. Cross a log to the other side, and look CLOSELY for rock cairns. A very very well maintained trail. Got there Friday night and found a sweet spot by the trailhead to car-camp. I didn't bring a tent or bivy and was kicking myself. Beautiful hike with many sights to see the whole way. You can barely see the large waterfall that cascades down slope from Copper Lake in the middle distance. I was afraid of running out of daylight, so I pressed on. The lakes were definitely very cold but bearable and felt great to ice sore feet. From here, the trail becomes steeper and rockier. Skykomish, Washington. Copper Lake is beautiful and large. At the point that you need to cross the river, it will be over a log that has a step nailed into it on the opposite side, making it easier to step down, or up. The lake is located at the eastern base of Camp Robber Peakin the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, within King … Posted by 16 days ago. After Trout lake, there were occasional muddy patches all the way up, but nothing thick or difficult. We camped at Trout Lake and did a day hike up to Copper and Little Heart Lakes the next day (why haul a 20+ pound pack all the way up there). The first couple of miles of this trail are undergoing some major reconstruction including a new bridge over the West Fork Foss river. based on 9 tracks & routes | | EASY #347 hike out of 716 in Alpine Lakes Wilderness | EASY. this was an amazing hike! From here, the trail becomes steeper and rockier. After about a 1000ft or so, it becomes more trail like, and then follows the West Fork Foss River for awhile, giving you views of the surrounding sheer rock face that lines the river here. There is a longer stretch in between Trout and Copper Lake that is exposed to the sun so some refill water often(we used sawyer squeeze filters) and remember sunscreen. trail gets remote and exceptionally rugged beyond here. Those lakes were the perfect way to beat the heat and culminate our days of sweaty hiking! It gets warm in the open areas, even in May. I went 4th of July weekend and I'm sure you could guess, it was pretty busy but I was able to get a good place to sleep. I would go again! 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