Stuart Lake, Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Stuart Lake - Photo by indio10, Flickr

The hike to Stuart Lake is one of the more popular in all of the North Cascades, and with good reason. The trail starts out following Mountaineer Creek, climbing steadily uphill. After a little more than a half-mile, you enter in to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. From here, proceed up the forested trail for two miles until you reach a junction at 4500 feet. Here the left fork leads to Colchuck Lake, stay straight to continue to Stuart Lake. Over the next two and a half miles, the trail meanders through some marshy meadows, gaining an easy 550 feet before reaching the lake. Some fantastic views can be had along the lakeshore, but for even more spectacular scenery, continue just past the lake to a marshy basin beyond the lake for stunning views of Jack Ridge and Mount Stuart. Camp sites can be found along the lake (you’ll need a permit); stay the night and make the climb to Colchuck Lake the next morning or head back the way you came to complete the 10 mile round-trip trek.

Directions: From Highway 2 at the west end of Leavenworth, turn south on Icicle Creek road and proceed 8.5 miles to Eightmile Creek road. Make a left here and travel 3.8 miles to the trailhead for Mountaineer Creek.

For more information about this hike, please visit the Wenatchee National Forest’s Trails page. Overnight permits are required. Dogs are not allowed on this trail. A NW Forest Pass is required at the trailhead’s parking lot.