Hyas Lakes. Photo by Chas Dreyfus

A flat hike through old forests leads to a wide expanse of water. Hyas Lake is actually a pair of pools in the middle of the Cle Elum River. The lower pool is a broad but shallow lake that sprawls nearly all the way across the valley floor and stretches more than a mile from one end to the other. The upper pool is a smaller, even shallower lake. In reality, it's the same lake, but the waters have been divided by a hearty growth of marsh grasses--as the grasses grew, they trapped more and more sediment, until finally a small band of muddy ground stretched across the upper end of the long Hyas Lake, leaving the smaller fragment just a few dozen yards above the lower lake. Plan to venture at least as far as the middle of the lower lake--and the best rest stops are at the upper end of the lake.


Heading up the Cle Elum River Trail you'll wander along for a flat mile as the trail weaves through the trees, well back from the river. As you hike, listen for the twitter of birds--the songs of small flittering birds will be your first indication that you're nearly to the lake.

The lower section of Hyas Lake is a broad grassland. About 1.1 mile from the trailhead you'll finally see the open waters of the lake. For the next mile, the trail gradually trends toward the lakeshore.

The best places to stop are about 2 miles from the trailhead. You'll find campsites that serve perfectly as picnic sites, too. Wade out into the refreshingly cool water, and look up on the towering peaks of Mount Daniel and Cathedral Rock before heading for home.