Barclay Lake sits snug between Merchant Peak and Baring Mountain, an awesome pair of imposing peaks. A gentle and easy hike, Barclay is a welcoming portal into the rugged terrain of Washington's newest wilderness, the 106,577-acre Wild Sky. The well-graded and maintained trail gains a little more than 200 feet of elevation in a little more than two miles, making it an ideal trek for children and beginning hikers.

Beginning in an old clear-cut, the trail takes off through a dark tunnel of regenerating forest. Despair over the majestic forest that once blanketed this valley, and say a prayer for the misguided land managers who sanctioned its destruction. Thankfully all was not lost, and mature forest is soon reached. Interspersed with remnant giants and quickly taking on old-growth characteristics, it is a far more attractive and ecologically viable forest than the one you began in. This stand, almost all western hemlocks, is blessed with a high amount of annual precipitation, evidenced by the thick carpets of mosses draping the trees.

Continue up the sliver of a valley, hemmed in by Baring to the south and the craggy, rocky summits of Gunn and Merchant peaks to the north. As rugged and wild as the surroundings may appear, the way to Barclay Lake is as gentle as any trail can be. Soon after crossing Barclay Creek, reach the lake. Stroll alongside it and try to find a quiet spot to sit and enjoy it, for chances are you'll be far from alone here. Barclay has its legions of admirers, from Scouts to artists, from first-time hikers to the very seasoned. Gaze out across the lake and up to the striking northern face of Baring Mountain. An imposing and well-known landmark visible from much of the Skykomish Valley, it is truly stunning when viewed from the lake.