Pets allowed
Allowed
Elevation Gain
600.00 ft (182.88 m)
Trail type
There-and-back
Distance
10.00 mi (16.09 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Packwood Lake is a great low-level lake to start off the summer hiking season. Sitting at only 3,200 feet, Packwood Lake has an early season snowmelt, making it a popular destination for spring backpackers. The lake offers amazing views of Johnson Peak and the Goat Rocks area, and on a calm day, there is a magnificent reflection of Johnson Peak.

The trail starts out with a moderate slope and has occasional views of Mount Rainier. The trail soon starts to slope up and down for the rest of the way, only gaining about 600 feet total. The trail is mostly dry except for the occasional water crossing. When arriving at the lake, there are a few initial campgrounds, but they continue all the way around to the north side of the lake. A few feet into the trail, there is the old historic guard station. There is also a dirt bike trail with the parking lot and the dam at the start of Lake Creek near this area.

The trail wraps around the lake and can continue off to the left to Mosquito Lake and Lost Lake, but trail navigation is difficult in early spring due to the amount of snow still covering the trails.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

High

Parking Pass

NW Forest Pass

Pros

Easy hike. Great views. Early snowmelt. Lots of backcountry campsites.

Cons

Big crowds. Dirt bike road can get noisy. Old resort/hydraulic dam.

Trailhead Elevation

2,650.00 ft (807.72 m)

Features

Backcountry camping
Historically significant
Wildlife
Wildlife

Suitable for

Horseback

Location

Nearby Adventures

Mt. Adams/Indian Heaven Wilderness/Goat Rocks, Washington

Nearby Lodging + Camping

Comments

07/01/2017
Hiked Packwood lake to Mosquito Lake to Lost Lake this past weekend. No snow until the last couple miles between Mosquito and Lost Lake. We ended up staying the night at Lost Lake. The trail becomes obscured by snow towards the end but by that time you can see the lake so it's no big deal. Water is cold but refreshing. Packwood lake is bigger and warmer but more crowded.
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