Barclay Lake

A good way to celebrate our nation's Independence Day is to enjoy some of the beautiful gems our country has and Barclay Lake is one of them. This morning we hike with a large group (my wife and kids and my sister and her family and my two brothers and their families) up to Barclay Lake. This is an easy 2.2 mile hike that can be done with little kids. My 5 year old hiked the full 4.5 mile round trip by herself. On a busy day (like today) parking can be a bit of an issue, so I would suggest going early if you can. Because we had such a large group, we did not arrive as early as I would have liked, but we did find parking.

Once we were all unloaded (and about 37 bathroom breaks later) we were ready to hit the trail. Immediately you are drowned in shade from the canopy of trees above. The trail conditions remain vastly unchanged for the majority of the hike. Very little elevation gain or loss with some roots and rocks on the trail. There is one log bridge that crosses over a creek which is a pretty neat spot. There is also a clearing a little further past the bridge where you can see a spectacular view of Baring Mountain towering over you nearly 4000 feet higher. Simply amazing. Keep going on you come to the lake, this year the lake was much bigger than in previous years. The very wet winter and spring made for a high lake level.

Our large group found a nice spot by the lake and ate some lunch and hung out for a bit and then made our way back to the cars. We went a little faster on our way out due to some of the little kids made their way to the toddler carriers on their parents' backs instead of walking. When we got back to the cars the parking lot had cleared out substantially. It was a great day for a hike and everyone had lots of fun.

Region: Central Cascades, Stevens Pass, West
Distance: 4.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Peak Elevation: 2423 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Pass Requirement: Yes, Northwest Forest Pass

As always check out all the photos of the hike and every hike by clicking on the "Photos" tab.

Barclay Lake

Today we hiked with some friends to Barclay Lake. There were 5 of us with 4 kids. This is an easy hike and pretty flat that is covered in shade by trees almost the entire way. My 3 year old daughter walked almost all the way to the lake before she wanted to ride in the pack. One of the other 3 years old boys walked the whole way, in and out. I was pretty impressed.

Once you get to the lake and the trees clear you see Mount Baring soaring high above you. It is quite spectacular. I have hiked here only once before, like 5 years ago, and the lake is much smaller now. Lots of water has disappeared, I imagine it has something to do with the alarmingly low amounts of snow this past winter.

After taking a break at the lake and eating a quick lunch and having the brave 3 year old boy swim in the lake for a bit we headed back down. It was a beautiful day and great to get out and enjoy the sunshine with the family and some friends. This is a great hike for families and kids of all ages. Definitely should be on the list for getting kids started and interested in hiking.

Region: Central Cascades, Stevens Pass, West
Distance: 4.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Peak Elevation: 2423 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Pass Requirement: Yes, Northwest Forest Pass

As always check out all the photos of the hike and every hike by clicking on the "Photos" tab.