backpack: Goat Rocks – Snowgrass Flat + Goat Lake
On this two night trip, we camped near Snowgrass Flat and did a day hike to Goat Lake where wildflowers were in abundance and the lake was completely melted out.
TRIP PLANNING
- distance & elevation gain to campsite: 5.25 miles, 1,500 ft. gain
- day hike options: Goat Lake, Old Snowy, Cispus Basin
- best months: mid-July to September
- location: Goat Rocks Wilderness; nearest town: Packwood
- land management: Gifford Pinchot National Forest: Cowlitz Valley Ranger District
- trail conditions: Snowgrass Trail #96
- hike description: Washington Trails Association – Snowgrass Flat
- permits: self-issued at the trailhead
- trailhead pass: none required
This was a quick backpacking trip to Goat Rocks with friends and family. We started at the Snowgrass trailhead and hiked in about 4.5 miles to a campsite off the Lily Basin trail. It wasn’t the best camp, however, so in the morning we packed up and moved to a much more scenic location.
Day 1: hike to campsite from Snowgrass trailhead
Wilderness sign
Goat Rocks!
view of Mount Adams
almost full moon
Day 2: day hike to Goat Lake
Two of us did a short day hike to Goat Lake. The closer we got to the lake, the more wildflowers we saw. They were especially thick at Goat Lake’s outlet stream.
day hike to Goat Lake
Lily Basin trail
the geology in this section is interesting: a waterfall over basalt, with craggy-shaped pinnacles above a large talus slope
happy backpacker
ridge with a mix of subalpine trees and talus slopes
Hawkeye Point
Goat Creek valley and Goat Ridge (on the right)
approaching Goat Lake
Goat Lake with no ice! Two years ago in August, it was almost fully covered
continuing on the Lily Basin trail past Goat Lake, turn around for this view of Goat Rocks
Goat Rocks!
Goat Lake from above
wildflowers were super abundant near Goat Lake’s outlet stream
Mount Adams and Goat Creek valley
crossing the talus slope, we could hear picas “meeping”
reflections
sweet campsite
view from camp
at sunset, Goat Rocks lights up with an orange glow
Mount Adams is all pink skies at sunset
Mount Adams looking dreamy
hiking out
