Heather Lake

Heather Lake is one of my favorite alpine lakes in Washington. It is surrounded by the magnificent Mount Pilchuck. The hike to Heather Lake is 5 miles round-trip and is moderately difficult. It is not very steep, but there are a lot of steady inclines and switchbacks through the second growth forest. Once you reach the lake, there is a 0.8 mile loop that wraps around it. The loop can get pretty swampy, but there are boardwalks in certain sections that allow you to walk over marshy ground and skunk cabbage.

On the backside of the loop right under Mount Pilchuck, there is a couple of waterfalls flowing down from the cliffs above. I decided to fly my drone from this area because it was secluded from the few other people that were on the trail. I was able to capture the lake from above, one of the flowing waterfalls, and Mount Pilchuck of course. I was obsessed with the dramatic jagged edges of the southeast side of Mount Pilchuck. Nestled on the other side of this section of Mount Pilchuck is another alpine lake, Lake 22. You can read more about my hike to Late 22 here. 

Note for the reader: I share these locations so that others can see beautiful places and enjoy nature as much as I do. Please be respectful of the outdoors and what condition it is in when you visit. Don’t go off trail, leave no trace, and pack out what you came in with.