Mountain Lake Backpacking Trips in Oregon & Washington
These backpacking trips to mountain lakes range from short and easy trips for relaxing – to tough and challenging treks with stunning scenery.
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- My Backpacking Gear List – A Lightweight and Affordable Approach
- PDF Guide: How to Plan Backpacking Trips
- Guidebook: How to Get Started Backpacking
Featured Trips
- Mount Hood Wilderness: Burnt Lake
- Mount Jefferson Wilderness: Hunts Cove
- Mount Rainier: Sheep Lake & Upper Crystal Lake
- Mount Washington Wilderness: Tenas Lakes
- Goat Rocks Wilderness: Packwood Lake
- Three Sisters Wilderness: Doris Lake
- Alpine Lakes Wilderness: Rachel & Rampart Lakes
- Olympic National Park: Royal Lake
- Eagle Cap Wilderness: Wallowas Lakes Basin
- Olympic National Park: Seven Lakes Basin
- Alpine Lakes Wilderness: Pete Lake & Spectacle Lake
- Mount Rainier: Upper Palisades Lake
- Indian Heaven Wilderness: Bear Lake
- Mount Jefferson Wilderness: Jefferson Park
Mount Hood Wilderness: Burnt Lake
The alpenglow on Mount Hood reflected in Burnt Lake is a sight you won’t soon forget. Take this moderately easy hike to a mountain lake and stay overnight to watch the mountain change colors several times in a day.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Burnt Lake backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 3.3 miles, 1,400 ft. gain
- day hike options: East Zigzag Mountain, Cast Lake
- best months: September-October
Mount Jefferson Wilderness: Hunts Cove
Hike in next to Pamelia Creek, past popular Pamelia Lake and up to Hunts Cove to setup camp at Hanks or Hunts Lakes. Access the Pacific Crest Trail via the Old Hunts Cove Trail for outstanding views of Mount Jefferson.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Hunts Cove backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 6 miles, 2,230 ft. gain
- day hike options: Pacific Crest Trail to Shale Lake
- best months: mid-July to September
Mount Rainier: Sheep Lake & Upper Crystal Lake
On the eastern edge of Mount Rainier National Park, take an easier route into Upper Crystal Lake via Chinook Pass and Sheep Lake. Permits are required at Upper Crystal Lake, but not at Sheep Lake which is outside the national park.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Sheep Lake & Upper Crystal Lake backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to Upper Crystal campsite: 4.1 miles, 1,065 ft. gain
- day hike options: Pacific Crest Trail north
- best months: July to September
Mount Washington Wilderness: Tenas Lakes
Located in the Mount Washington Wilderness in Central Oregon, Tenas Lakes are a group of subalpine lakes with rocky shorelines and blue-green water.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Tenas Lakes backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 2.5 miles, 600 ft. gain
- day hike options: Scott Mountain
- best months: August – September (avoid July due to mosquitoes)
Goat Rocks Wilderness: Packwood Lake
Packwood Lake is at low elevation in Goat Rocks Wilderness, so it’s a good early season backpack when the snow levels are above 3,500 ft. Due to the easy access, the lakeside campsites can be heavily crowded, especially in the summer, so go early in the season if you can.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Packwood Lake backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 4-6 miles, 400-700 ft. gain
- day hike options: continue on the Packwood Lake Trail to the end of the lake
- best months: May – June (due to crowds in the summer months)
Three Sisters Wilderness: Doris Lake
The Six Lakes Basin in the Three Sisters Wilderness is full of lakes that are perfect for a relaxing backpacking trip. The trial to Doris Lake is short and fairly flat – a good destination for beginners and families.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Doris Lake backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 3 miles, 400 ft. gain
- day hike options: visit any of the numerous lakes in this area
- best months: August to September (avoid July due to mosquitoes)
Alpine Lakes Wilderness: Rachel & Rampart Lakes
A challenging hike up a steep and rocky trail, Rampart Lakes is a collection of small lakes in a superbly scenic subalpine area in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Rampart Lakes backpacking trips
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 5.7 miles, 2,300 ft. gain
- day hike options: Lila Lakes, Alta Mountain
- best months: August – September (avoid July due to mosquitoes)
Olympic National Park: Royal Lake
Royal Lake provides access to some of the best subalpine and alpine scenery in the Olympic Mountains. From Royal Lake, it’s a short hike to explore the Upper Royal Basin – which sits just below the Olympic’s second highest peak, Mount Deception.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Royal Basin backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 6.5 miles, 2,800 ft. gain
- day hike options: Upper Royal Basin
- best months: mid-July to September
Eagle Cap Wilderness: Wallowas Lakes Basin
Deep in the heart of the Eagle Cap Wilderness, this trip to the Lakes Basin is scenery packed – with granite boulders and slabs, alpine lakes and meadows scattered throughout and surrounded by peaks. The Two Pan trailhead provides the most direct access into the Eagle Cap Wilderness with shorter mileage and less elevation gain than other options.
- I Heart PNW trip plan: Wallowas Lakes Basin
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 7-8 miles with ~2,000 ft. gain
- day hike options: Lakes Basin loop, Eagle Cap summit, Glacier Lake
- best months: mid-July to September
Olympic National Park: Seven Lakes Basin
The Seven Lakes Basin is accessed via the High Divide loop in the Olympic Mountains. The hike in can be shortened with a stop at Deer Lake for the first night. This area is extremely popular and advance permits are required for all backcountry campsites.
- I Heart PNW trip reports: High Divide backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 9.2 miles, 3,070 ft. gain
- day hike options: explore the Seven Lakes Basin
- best months: August to September
Three Sisters Wilderness: Green Lakes
Located in the Three Sisters Wilderness between the mountains South Sister and Broken Top, the Green Lakes area is a popular backpacking destination that showcases the best of Central Oregon’s Cascades. Advance backcountry permits are required for all campsites.
- I Heart PNW trip reports: Green Lakes backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 5.5 miles, 1,100 ft. gain
- day hike options: Golden Lake, Park Meadows, meadows below Broken Top
- best months: mid-July to September
Alpine Lakes Wilderness: Pete Lake & Spectacle Lake
Spectacle Lake is indeed a spectacle – surrounded by peaks in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. This scenic lake is popular side trip for thru-hikers and section hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Spectacle Lake backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 10 miles, 2,260 ft. gain (for a shorter option, spend the first night at Pete Lake before continuing to Spectacle Lake)
- day hike options: explore the Spectacle Lake area
- best months: July to September
Mount Rainier: Upper Palisades Lake
Mount Rainier may not be visible from the trails in the Palisades Lakes area, but the subalpine beauty of the lakes and meadows below the peaks of The Palisades makes this a worthwhile destination.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Upper Palisades Lake backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 3.7 miles, 610 ft. gain, 880 ft. loss
- day hike options: Hidden Lake, Brown Peak
- best months: July to September
Indian Heaven Wilderness: Bear Lake
Late autumn is the best time to visit Indian Heaven Wilderness. The mosquitoes the area is famous for are gone, and thousands of huckleberry-laden shrubs literally cover the entire area in stunning shades of red, yellow and orange. One of the easiest access points is via the East Crater Trail, providing access to Junction Lake (shown above), Bear Lake, and many other lakes in the area.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Bear Lake backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to Bear Lake: 4.2 miles, 800 ft. gain
- day hike options: Lakes Basin loop; Lemei Rock
- best months: September – October (avoid July and early August due to mosquitoes)
Mount Jefferson Wilderness: Jefferson Park
Jefferson Park is a subalpine basin filled with scenic lakes at the base of Mount Jefferson. Several wildfires have impacted trail access to this area, and advance backcountry permits are required for all campsites in the area. Check with the local ranger station for more info about current conditions.
- I Heart PNW trip report: Jefferson Park backpacking trip
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 6 miles, 1,800 ft. gain
- day hike options: explore the many lakes in Jefferson Park
- best months: mid-July to September
