Mountain Loop Highway/Goat Lake

About a month ago, I had a couple of days off together in the middle of the week. I decided to use the opportunity to go hiking and camping somewhere that was nearby but I hadn't been to before, even if it meant going on my own. So one afternoon I packed up my car, and after running a few errands, drove down Highway 20 and then south to Darrington. I spent the night in the nearly empty campground at Squires Creek just west of town, and the next morning drove down Mountain Loop Highway for a hike to Goat Lake.

Camping at Squires Creek was a little surreal. I was almost completely alone (I only saw one other site taken), but I could hear cars driving down the highway, and the main road through the park led to a residential area so there were plenty of vehicles driving through the park. So I was very much alone, but not at the same time.

The next morning I drove south on the highway into Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. About ten miles in, the road turned into gravel and I wondered what I was getting myself (or really my car) into, but I decided that it wasn't worth it to turn around. I'd picked out Goat Lake Trail after an alltrails.com weekly email that included the hike, and I was determined that I would hike that trail.

The trail is just off the highway with the trailhead on a forest service road, and is about 10 miles round trip with an elevation gain of about 1400 feet. Overall doesn't sound difficult, but most of that gain is in the last part of the trail ascending to Goat Lake. It was worth it though! The trail is obviously well hiked, but without being crowded. Beautiful waterfall coming out of the lake on the way in, and some lovely meadow flowers. Arriving at the lake I was able to rest my weary feet and cool them off in the lake, while looking through my binoculars at the snow and waterfalls on the other side. I returned via the lower part of the trail along Swift Creek, and just enjoyed the beautiful weather we were having that day.

After returning to my car, I continued my way down the highway and made a mental note of several more trails I'd like to do one day. The nice thing is that it isn't too far away from either Bellingham or Seattle, so it's easily accesible from either direction.