Hike to an emerald lake in a subalpine setting. The trip is long, but the terrain is welcoming and the surroundings peaceful. Miles of magnificent old growth shade the way. Come in midsummer and enjoy a swim. Visit in late summer and reap a bounty of succulent huckleberries. Make the trip on a chilly autumn day and look forward to a hot-springs soak on the way out.

The first 2.3 miles of this hike are a drag, utilizing a paved road long-closed by the Park Service. It was a prudent move to cut down on crowding and problems at the popular Olympic Hot Springs, but it makes for a boring approach. Bicycles aren't al-lowed (even if they were, three washouts would prove difficult to negotiate), so you'll just have to suck it up. I usually hike this section in running shoes and change into boots when the real trail starts, ditching my shoes for the return.

After plodding the pavement, arrive at a junction at a former car campground, now a popular backcountry camping area, Boulder Creek Camp. The trail left goes a short distance to a series of hot-spring pools tucked on ledges above crashing Boulder Creek. Avoid them in the summer-they're crowded and probably won't get the health inspector's thumbs-up. Besides, it's hot in the summer-what's the point? In the off-season, however, these pools, the only natural soaking area in the Olympics, are really inviting.

For Boulder Lake, continue right, climbing to well-used campsites and the start of real trail. Walk a gentle short mile through cool and inspiring ancient forest to another junction, and take the trail to the right (the left-hand trail heads to Appleton Pass). Angling along a slope crowded by coniferous giants, the trail climbs at a moderate grade, allowing you to absorb the beauty and tranquility of your surroundings. Boulder Creek's crashing and thrashing fades into the distance. Silence.

At about 4.5 miles the trail approaches North Fork Boulder Creek and steepens, making a final push to the lake. At 5.9 miles a junction is reached. Boulder Creek is a pebble's throw away to the left (the right-hand trail heads to Happy Lake Ridge).

Cross marshy meadows and reach the lake, which is perched in a semi-open bowl at the base of 5600-foot Boulder Peak. Inviting shoreline ledges that harness the sun's warmth, perfect for a nap or lunch break, can be found just a short dis-tance to the south. Enjoy the green hue of the lake's waters, and enjoy the silence of the surrounding environment. Well, not quite silent. Chattering chickarees, busy nuthatches, flittering dragonflies, and surface-breaking fish add some commotion. But it's peaceful just the same.