lake twenty two trail

Lake twenty two is a great hike any time of the year, esp. When there is little to no snow, like this year. There is a boulder field that is a little dicey for the less agile, but the views are worth it

This is a great hike that's just an hour away from Seattle. It's quite popular & the parking lot was full so we had to park at the campground on the other side of the road. Remember to buy a day pass for parking at the visitor center in Verlot (not necessary if you have an interagency pass). Given the warm weather we've been having lately, the trail was snow free but wet & muddy. Make sure that you have good water-proof shoes that are comfortable to wear on rocky terrain (a portion of the trail is pretty rocky). The elevation gain (around 1350 feet) is quite gradual so there really aren't any thigh burning switchbacks to worry about. Overall an easy 2.7 mile hike up to the lake. The water is crystal clear and there are many spots where you can sit down and enjoy a quiet lunch while appreciating beautiful surroundings. Took us about 3 hours (hike and lunch at lake) so it's doable even on a lazy weekend when your day starts late :-) Tip: Use the restrooms at the visitors center (2 miles before the trailhead). They're much cleaner!

Being a flatlander from Texas, I was not prepared for this hike my first time to try it in October or November of 2013. I had hiking boots that I though fit fine, but after a couple of miles climbing the trail, I discovered I needed better hiking boots. At about the 1/2 way point I had to throw in the towel and head back down, I had huge blisters on both heals that had ruptured before I got back to the car. I promptly bought some good hiking boots, but it was about 3 weeks before the blisters were healed and I could try again. This time I made it to Lake Twenty Two, and it was awesome. The trail is great and the lake was beautiful. There are several waterfalls along the way. I would love to hike it again someday with my family.

Trails are well maintained and easy to navigate. Usually there isn't a huge problem with mud or standing water. Love the bridge and lake at the end. We always hike around the lake, even in the snow. Bathrooms available at trailhead. Northwest Forest Pass required. Trail is heavily used, so expect to share the experience with many others.

I'm out of shape and was a little worried about this hike, but I made it and it was great! A lot of the websites say this is a 2.1 mile hike one way, but all our fitness trackers said it was almost 10 miles round trip.It took us about 1 hour 45 minutes to walk up to the lake and 1 hour 30 minutes to walk back down. The hike had a lot of rocks and little streams with stepping stones which made it fun and interesting- we were told by someone there that there was more water than normal due to the recent heavy rains. The last 20 minutes of the hike up was the hardest with the most vertical climb and the most rocks to climb over, but the reward is the beautiful lake at the top! I read online to make sure to keep your valuables out of your car due to break ins so make sure you do that- we did see some broken glass in the parking lot. The Discover Pass doesn't work here so buy your ticket at the ranger office about half a mile down the road. I will definitely be back!

This was about a ten mile hike with quite a few switchbacks along the way. We only ran into a few people and headed up at about 2pm. I recommend going earlier since it got dark by the time we started heading back. It took about four hours to hike up and three to hike back down. Very close to the end of the hike at Goat Lake there is a beautiful collection of waterfalls and the water is very crisp since it's glacier feed, but well worth the dip on a hot summers day. Just past these waterfalls the trail gets very steep and the path not very clear but make sure to push through because you'll only be about 10mins away from your final destination. No goats were spotted but when you take a look at this breath taking crystal clear mirror lake, goats won't be on your mind.

Just a fantastic hike in so many ways. The majority of the hike takes you through old growth forest, with streams and waterfalls within site at most times and audible at almost all times. The cirque (deep, cold, clearwater mountain lake) at the top is a worthwhile climax to the hike.The hike is 2.7 miles in each direction, add 1.3 miles if you wish to circumnavigate the lake when you get to the top. Starting elevation is 1,000 feet, ending elevation is 2500 feet. For an average hiker in moderately good physical condition, I'd budget about 3 hours to hike to the top, walk around the lake, and then return.DO beware that at the midpoint of the hike, the trail comes into a clearing where there are some switchbacks that will have you in full sunlight and walking on rocks and small boulders for perhaps 20-30 minutes before returning to the shade and easier footing of the forest. Young children may struggle in this section; we saw a girl of about age 4 fall down and hurt herself.A few notes:(1) This is a very popular hike; the trailhead parking lot will fill quickly on weekends, but parking on the Mountain Loop Highway seems to be tolerated. I would recommend getting an early start if you want to have a more tranquil experience, something you may appreciate when you get to the lake at the top. We started the hike at 8:00 AM on a good-weather July Saturday and encountered only a handful of other hikers on the ascent, though on the descent we were encountering other hikers at a rate of about one group every minute.(2) Water runs across the trail at numerous locations; do wear waterproof footwear.(3) As alluded to earlier, parts of the trail have uneasy footing; hiking boots may be preferable to athletic shoes.(4) It is a great hiking trail for dogs, perhaps one in three hiking groups has a canine companion. (5) It is very impressive that the Forest Service has constructed so many bridges and boardwalks on the trail. Makes you wonder "how did they do that?".