West Fork Foss Lakes
Last modified
Nov 02, 2009 08:23 PM
Tucked in tight folds, big basins, and rocky cirques high above the West Fork Foss River are a bevy of big, beautiful alpine lakes-one of the highest concentrations of alpine lakes in the entire Alpine Lakes Wilderness, actually. You can spend days here, and many do, but day hiking to several of these aquatic gems isn't out of the question. Just prepare for a tough slog over rough terrain. And prepare for some of the finest alpine scenery this side of Stevens Pass. Recent Trip Reports
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Overnight
Features:
Fall foliage | Ripe berries
Issues:
Blowdowns | Bridge out | Overgrown | Mud/Rockslide | Washouts | Water on trail | Snow on trail | Bugs
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My destination was Big Heart Lake - I planned on staying until Sunday 10/11, but the trail was more strenuous...
My destination was Big Heart Lake - I planned on staying until Sunday 10/11, but the trail was more strenuous (and the tread itself worse) than I expected. I ended up staying one night at Copper Lake and turning back (I was first-time-soloing and didn't think it wise to continue.)
The road was in decent shape, with some potholes, but easily passable with my Explorer. On the way out, I followed a grader, which improved the mostly-dirt road even more. As stated in the Guidebook, the first mile is on a dry riverbed (there are surveyor's markers that lead you alongside (instead of on) the riverbed at times. Throughout the trail, it's quite important to pay attention to cairns and surveyor's tape. (This trail is no longer being maintained.) Once you reach Trout Lake, you're back in a thicket of trees - you might take the opportunity to use the potty before continuing on because it's a long way before you can step off the trail to do so. You will find yourself ducking low trees quite frequently while you hike this overgrown and at times barely-there trail. I had Copper Lake all to myself, as I'd only encountered two guys hiking out (they had spent 2 nights at Copper). The pit toilet is in good shape and the trail along the lake is also in excellent condition. I selected the site closest to the creek, which was a lovely, rock-enclosed site big enough for all my needs. The trees were thinned out enough that I had a wonderful view of the stars and, later in the night, the moon. It was a chilly 30-something degrees but well worth the cold to enjoy having my rain fly rolled back! Out and back, you will have to scale fallen trees and root balls. I would strongly advise bringing trekking poles, because the descent is dicey without them. I have a weak ankle and a bad knee and I'm confident in saying that there's no way that I could have made it safely back to my car without them! A word of warning - the river crossing can be sketchy both ways. I trusted what Mangy Marmot said in his trip report and followed the pink surveyor's tape on the way to Copper Lake. On the way back, I admit my mind wandered and I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been. I followed a side trail just after Trout Lake that led me to the riverbed too soon. I was too far down and couldn't backtrack, so I ended up having to climb up and bushwack through the thorny and dense thicket that borders the trail. Bring a map and a compass. It saved me a lot of panic. (You're quite alone out here and it could be days before someone happens through.) The guys hiking out indicated that the rangers aren't requiring permits and there are none available at the trailhead. I left a note with all my pertinent information beneath the windshield wiper of my car before departing for the lake. They also said that there was snow closer to Big Heart Lake, so that should be a consideration (it's much cooler there as well). If you have any questions before deciding to do this trek, please feel free to contact me! Day hike
Features:
Ripe berries
Issues:
Bridge out | Washouts
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This was my favorite lake hike to date. The weather was excellent, suny but not too hot. Since it was...
This was my favorite lake hike to date. The weather was excellent, suny but not too hot. Since it was a Friday, I saw only one person the whole way up. On the way down, I saw a number of groups going up for the weekend.
The trail is a bit rough up to trout lake. The river is very low. Crossing is no problem. Look for cairns to find the path on the other side. Again, follow cairns when you get to the washout by Trout lake. After trout lake, the trail is in good condition. Malachite lake is worth the short side trip. Keep an eye out for a rock outcrop to the left of the trail about half way between Little Heart Lake and Big Heart lake. It's an excellent viewpoint. Big Heart Lake seems to be everyones favorite place to camp. Blueberry bushes have been strategically placed along the way to give you that extra boost of energy when you need it most. My map showed the trail ending near Big Heart Lake, but in reality the trail continues much farther. It takes you to a very nice overlook of Angeline Lake. Then it takes you over the ridge between Big Hear and Angeline Lakes to a ridge overlooking Chetwoot lake. The trail gets fainter and fainter as you go. Look for cairns that mark the way where ever the trail is not obvious. I highly recommend bringing a tent and staying a few days.
Foss Lakes, West Fork Foss River
— Aug 16, 2009
— happyhiker
Day hike
Issues:
Blowdowns | Bridge out | Overgrown | Washouts | Bugs
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WARNING. Resurfacing of Route 2 between Monroe and Sultan is causing 3 HOUR delays for 30 miles. This...
WARNING. Resurfacing of Route 2 between Monroe and Sultan is causing 3 HOUR delays for 30 miles. This is particularly bad Friday nite and Sunday nite. This road work has been going on all summer.
The road to the trailhead is straightforward to follow--just make sure to take the left at the 4 mile turnoff to the West Fork Foss Lake trailhead. The road condition is rather bad with lots of potholes--it does not seem to have been graded this summer. The first 1/2 mile is on a dry rockbed--which is hard on the feet on the return trip. The rains last winter have expanded the area to cross where the bridge washed out. There are 3 places to cross. The safest is the last option--furthest from the trailhead. Look for the pinktape. Cross the first water stream. Then take the pinktapped log on the left. I crossed the middle crossing and my boot hit the water. When to start the day hike depends on what your target lake is. It took 45 min to Trout Lake, 3 1/4 hours to Copper Lake, 4 hours to Little Heart, 5 + to Big Heart--probably the furthest you want to go on just a day hike. If Big Heart Lake is your target, get to the trailhead by 9 AM. The rains have battered the wood bridge just below Copper Lake. Two posts and three crossbeams have been knocked out. The bridge still seems pretty solid. If you try this hike during a heat wave, be sure to bring lots of water. The 2 miles 2000 feet rise from Trout to Copper Lake is often in the sun, and the combination of grade and open air particularly over rockpiles can be hard. To me, the lake waters all look the same. Copper Lake is not red, but blue-green. To me, the fun in the trip are the falls, not the lakes. Big Heart Falls is pretty dramatic for Wa St waterfalls--rated one of the top 25. A sidetrip to Malachite Falls on the way to Copper Lake is worth it. Be sure to get back to the River Crossing while it is still daylight. Since the river is not glacier fed, the water does not rise by sunset. But it's still a bit tricky to cross in the dark--even with lamps.
Trout Lake, West Foss Lake Trail, Big Heart Lake
— Oct 01, 2008
— Janice Van Cleve
Day hike
Issues:
Blowdowns | Bridge out | Mudholes
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This trail is almost a Sunday walk in the park - after you get to the Malachite junction. Road...
This trail is almost a Sunday walk in the park - after you get to the Malachite junction. Road 68 and 6835 to the trailhead for the West Foss Lakes trailhead is in very good shape. Most of the potholes have been filled and it is free of ruts and almost all washboards. The first half mile of trail 1064 is a cobbled stream bed but it soon emerges onto a nice trail. At one mile is the crossing of the stream. The bridge is history, but a well marked series of cairns directs you across a convenient log. On the other side the trail is very easy to follow. The river has carved out deep swaths of the side of the avalanche slope. Blowdowns are numerous from the trailhead all the way up to the Malachite bridge. The trail up to the Malachite junction is rocky and brushy and there are a lot of blowdowns. From the Malachite junction to Little Heart Lake is very nice trail, some steps, 3 blowdowns two of which are large. The trail to Big Heart Lake is strenuous but very clear and only 3 blowdowns. All in all this is a good hike and worth the effort. The autumn colors are just coming in and mushrooms abound. Trail time was 2 hours to the Malachite bridge, half hour to Copper Lake, half hour to Little Heart and another hour to Big Heart. The Malachite Lake trail is signed but appears to be heavily overgrown.
Alder Ridge-Mad River Tie, West Foss Lake Trail
— Sep 11, 2008
— Rbrown
Overnight
Issues:
Blowdowns | Bridge out | Overgrown | Bugs
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Arrived at the trail at about 10:00AM and began hiking. It was a beautiful day not a cloud in the...
Arrived at the trail at about 10:00AM and began hiking. It was a beautiful day not a cloud in the sky, no wind and tempeture was about 70 degrees. Some bugs but not overwhelming. There was major trail damage from the trail head to the crossing at the West Foss River. It is not a pleasant hike to Trout Lake. Many windfalls and the trail have been washed out at the crossing of the West Foss River. There is a log across part of the river that was washed over part of the river that is crossable. The trail was also washed just before you entered the Trout Lake Camp Sites. Hiking form Trout Lake to Copper Lake the Trail was in fairly good shape. The Forest Service list the use of this trail as heavy however we encountered only two groups of backpacker at Copper lake. There was one group of 4 at the outlet of Copper Lake and two backpackers going out. We continued about a half mile from the outlet to a large flat rock jetting out of the bank into the lake. This was a perfect setting to enjoy the grandeur of the Malachite Peak as it reflected off Copper Lake. In fact it was such a beautiful day that we lost track of time and stayed in camp our first day the next day and then started our hike out about 3:30 Pm. We made it back to our car just before sunset. This is a beautiful area. I have been here several times but never with weather as outstanding as this. Not a cloud in the sky and not a leaf wrestling in the breeze. It was perfect. In fact it was a dead calm. It seemed that is was the calm before the storm but the storm never came. This is one of the most pristine and inspirational areas in the Alpine Wilderness Lake Area.
This hike is on the Foss River Road #68 a 1/2/ mile east of the ranger station. If you stop at the Skokomish Ranger Station they have a hand out on driving direction to the trail head. |
Driving Directions
Drive US 2 east to the small town of Skykomish. Continue east for 1.9 miles (passing the Forest Service ranger station), and turn right onto Foss River Road (Forest Road 68). Continue for 4.7 miles (the pavement ends at 1.1 miles), turning left onto FR 6835. Follow this road for 1.9 miles to its end and the trailhead (elev. 1550 ft). |
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