Surprise Lake and Glacier Lake
| Distance (both ways): |
Just to Surprise Lake: 8.5 miles (13.7km) To Glacier Lake: 11.5 miles (18.5km) |
|---|---|
| Elevation gain: | 2,300 ft (700m) |
| Green Trails Map: | 176 |
| Passes: | Northwest Forest Pass required to park a car near the trailhead |
Useful Info
This trail is accessible from Rt. 2: the trailhead is located about 10 miles past Skykomish and just before the Highway Bridge (if you cross it, you know you missed the turn off). At mile post 58.7, turn south into an unmarked road. It will take you across rail tracks. Continue on a narrow dirt road until you reach a small parking lot and a clearly marked trail head.
Before setting out on the trip, make sure to check the weather forecast. Also, check recent trail condition reports from WTA. Forest Service also provides report on the trail conditions -- scroll almost to the bottom of the page to trail #1060.
More Information
- Trail description from Washington Trails Association
- Official trail description and driving directions from the forest service.
Our Trip
Anne, Carole, Atri, Scott, Ron, John, Adrian and I, hiked this trail in late June of 2004. We were hoping to do something else but the weather forecast called for thunder storms on the East side of the mountains and more interesting trails on the West side still had snow on them. Overall, the trip was very pleasant and relatively easy. There were already quite a few people camping or just hanging around Surprise Lake. Only a little while further, by the Glacier Lake, we saw only one other person.
Below are some of our pictures from the hike. Click on any of them to see the larger version. You may also want to see Ron's pictures from the hike.
June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
Too fast to catch on film
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
On the trail
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
A quick break
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
A quick break
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
Surprise Lake
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
Lunch by Surprise Lake
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
Ron and John
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
Anne
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
Scott
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
Glacier Lake
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
Resting by Glacier Lake
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June 26, 2004 picture by Krzysztof Gajos
Ron ponders the meaning of life, universe and everything
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