Beautiful backcountry lakes, bountiful berry patches, glimpses of glaciers, and the option of hoofing to an old lookout site overlooking Baker and peaks and valleys north and south-no wonder this area is darn popular. The trails are short and wonderful for introducing young'uns to the great outdoors, but there's a fair amount of elevation to be gained to and fro, so be sure to bring the kid harness or at least extra chocolate bars.

When I first hiked this trail back in 1991 it looked like they were going to log right to the lakes. A beautiful mile of trail through old growth was permanently removed from the inventory. The Noisy-Diobsud Wilderness, which the Watson Lakes lie in, but not the Andersons, must be expanded to protect this trail and surrounding forests from further fragmentation.

Begin hiking in handsome hemlocks hedged with heather. In a quick 0.9 mile come to a junction (elev. 4800 ft). The trail left climbs to the shoulder of Anderson Butte. Continuing on the main trail, be sure to occasionally look back as you gently ascend through marshy meadows-Mount Baker hovers in the distance.

After rounding a 4900-foot rise, the trail reenters forest and drops, coming to another junction at 1.5 miles (elev. 4700 ft). The trail right drops 300 feet in a rough 0.5 mile, arriving at the lower of the three Anderson Lakes (elev. 4400 ft). Cradled in a semi-open basin beneath glacial-capped Mount Watson, it's a pretty scene. But, if you have to choose between Anderson and the Watson lakes, go for the latter.

The trail for the Watsons climbs 200 feet to a small notch, enters wilderness, and then drops 500 feet to arrive at the western lake (elev. 4400 ft). Follow a boot-beaten path to the larger and more open eastern lake. Glacier-clad Bacon Peak rising behind the two lakes hogs the show. For all three lakes, the bugs can be bad, and the berries can be good!