Backpacking to Gem Lake, Washington

Gem Lake, Washington
Gem Lake, Washington
Gem Lake, Washington
Snow Lake, Washington
Gem Lake, Washington
Snow Lake, Washington
Gem Lake, Washington
Gem Lake, Washington
Gem Lake, Washington
Gem Lake, Washington
Gem Lake, Washington
Gem Lake, Washington
Snow Lake, Washington
  • Distance: 11 miles out and back (AllTrails says 9.1 miles, that is wrong)

  • Elevation Gain: 2,700 feet

  • Difficulty: difficult, especially with a 15lb backpack

  • Solitude: very crowded, until you hike around/leave the Snow Lake area

  • Dogs allowed: yes, on leash

  • Bathrooms: yes

  • Campgrounds: first come first serve, camp in designated areas only; do not make campfires

  • Fee: yes, but PNW Forest Passes are accepted

 

Michael and I both had some time off during the week of 4th of July, so we decided to pack up our backpacks and head north into the Alpine Lake Wilderness to stay overnight at Gem Lake. Gem Lake is nestled above the very popular Snow Lake, but below Wright’s Peak. When we went, it wasn’t too buggy and the weather was perfect, only dipping down into the 50s at night and hovering in the mid 70s during the day. Instead of going into a lot of detail about the hike, I’ll let the pictures do the talking – it was incredibly beautiful. We had such a good time relaxing, reading, and taking pictures. In the morning, we woke up and did the half mile climb (whoa is it straight uphill) to watch the fog roll in the valley and make some breakfast. If you find yourself at Gem Lake, I highly recommend the extra mile (round trip) to check out Wrights Peak!