Found the trail good in most spots. Forded several small falls feet got wet, but wool socks saved the day. There is a large washout with tight trail access on a very steep side. Some muddy & soggy ground. Gorgeous hike with trilliums, new spring green moss, shamrock shaped low ground cover with yellow blossoms, tiny pale lavendar orchid shaped flowers, new fern fronds. Cathedral Falls were beautiful & mesmerizing. I didn't hike down to the bottom too narrow & slick looking fragile ground nor did I walk under the falls as it too was slick. Met several families with young children who all had an easy time of hiking. I'm a novice hiker over age 60 & I'll be back!

We backpacked for 3 nights/4 days in this area. We started on a Monday and only saw 4 people the entire time.

We started out at the end of FS Road 2750. The first day we hiked to Vanson Lake (about 7 miles) and camped in a nice spot right on the lake. At mile 1, the Leona Falls were spectacular. The trail continues for another mile with gentle ups and downs. At mile 2 is the junction for Vanson Lake. The trail is very lush and green with many gorgeous streams and waterfalls to easily cross. It climbs pretty steadily to the Vanson Lake cutoff. There the trail is about 3/4 mile steeply down to the lake. There are several short cuts before the main trail to the lake. There is a sign for the main trail to the lake which is a much safer grade to get to the lake.

The second day, we hiked 3 miles to Deadmans Lake and camped right on the Lake again in a very nice large spot. This was a perfect spot to bathe and wash clothes as the water was warm. We still had not seen any people so we had the whole lake to ourselves. The trail is up and down the whole way in an open forest on a nice ridge with many views of Mt. Rainier. After we set up camp, we took our daypacks and hiked Goat Mountain Ridge which was the highlight of our trip. Most of the way was open with gentle ups/downs and wildflowers every where. At the top of the ridge, we could see Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens. We also had a great view of the blast zone from the 1980 eruption of St. Helens. It was spectacular!!

The third day, we hiked 5.5 miles to Tumwater Lake. Most of the hike was a gentle uphill through a thick dry forest with many down trees to navigate over/around. About halfway there, we broke out of the forest onto an open ledge with amazing views of Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, and Mt. St. Helens. Again, the wildflowers were spectacular. The lake was relatively low with only a few patches of snow. It was difficult to find a flat spot for our tent, but we made do on the edge of the lake. There were quite a few mosquitos but they didn't seem to be biting too bad. We went to sleep to the sound of owls and frogs.

The fourth day, we completed our loop back to the trailhead by hiking 6 miles through lush green forests again and many more streams, waterfalls. We had to cross the river twice but it wasn't too deep or wide. After one crossing about 3 miles from the trailhead there were 3 downed trees together that were very difficult to climb over.

In the Backpacking Washington, 2007 edition, author Douglas Lorain, describes this hike as the "Northern Mount St. Helens Loop". There were no recent trip reports, so I checked trail conditions on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Website.

After a few wrong turns, we finally found Forest Service Road 2750—there was a small sign for the trail, and about 4 miles of gravel road with many deep potholes. Luckily they were avoidable, and by going slow I did fine in a regular car. At the unmarked trail head (no forest pass required according to the forest service website) there was a sign that said the trail was closed due to washout 0.5 mile in. I was able to double-check on my phone, and the trail was open, so we went ahead. The first two miles of the trail were a dream, with a very modest climb, and thick forest. We crossed a couple of minor streams and finally encountered Leona Falls. It is one gorgeous waterfall and although it does not rush with the gushing ferocity of some waterfalls, it more than makes up for it with its showy, misty, flow. Walking in the deep cave behind it was a treat.

Unfortunately, it got much more difficult after that. The two water crossings described as “small” were actually rushing creeks at least 20 feet across. The first crossing, we were able to scramble across a few logs to get across. It was difficult, but we managed to stay dry.
The second crossing, over Goat Creek, was impossible to do without getting soaked. The bottom of the river was full of sharp rocks, and after searching for a way across, we went across in hiking boots. It was not much fun hiking in wet boots the rest of the day.

Due to our late start, we elected to camp near Tumwater Mountain. There was quite a bit of snow around the half-frozen pond, but we were able to find a dry place to camp, and although we didn’t require any water, we would have been able to get some from the pond. On July 4th, the pond was about 150 feet across at its widest diameter. It got very cold at night and our wet boots and the lake partially froze over.

We were going to stay overnight again, and add some of the extra hikes around Goat Mountain Ridge and Vanson Peak, but instead we decided to complete the remaining 14 miles and head back to the car. Anything over 4300 feet or so had snow and caused us to lose the trail at least 10 times due to the heavy snow. Most of the time, the snow was an annoyance, but a couple of times it was dangerous to walk on without better equipment. We lost the trail for three hours about two miles past Vanson creek, due to the snow, and a wrong turn at a small pond, which we mistook as the “Unnamed Lake” pictured in the map in our book.

The 14 miles were broken up with some decent views of Mt. Rainier, wildflowers, and by Deadmans Lake and Vanson Lake. Deadmans Lake was picturesque—other than the broken camping equipment someone had strewn around—and would be perfect to swim in (it is only about 0.25 miles off the main trail). Vanson Lake is about 0.5-0.75 miles off the main trail and a steep climb back up from. It was pretty too, and full of salamanders at its marshy shore, but if you are in a hurry, it is not a must-see.

This route would probably be at its best in a couple of more weeks, but overall, it was a great hike which made me thankful for our trusty compass while yearning for a fancy GPS device. This hike is perfect for a two day overnight for a more meandering hiker, but thanks to the modest elevation gain (3200 feet) it is very doable in one night. We didn't see much wildlife other than a few birds, and a couple of signs of deer. Perhaps the best part of the hike was that there were no biting bugs! We did not require any bug spray.

Great hike with the kids today. Trail is in good condition until about 3/4 of the way in. The ravine before Cathedral falls has been washed out (including the trail) by the heavy snow fall and melt-off that followed.

Still plenty of scenery to check out and take in.