Information about this hike provided in partnership with
Mountaineers Books.
Copyright © Craig Romano/The Mountaineers Books Josephine Lake
Featured In:
Day Hiking: Central Cascades,
by Craig Romano.
A portion of all book sales from the links above benefits WTA and helps protect and maintain our trails. Pick up the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and head south. You're sure to pass a handful of backpackers along the way, for this section of the Mexico-to-Canada long-distance trail from Stevens to Snoqualmie passes is among its most popular. Soon begin traversing a handful of ski slopes and lift lines. Not the most aesthetic hiking terrain, but the open slopes do offer good views. After fairly gentle going, the trail begins switchbacking to reach a 5100-foot ridge crest in about 2 miles. The way then begins to descend, crossing more ski slopes as well as a big powerline swath complete with a rough service road. Now contouring along a ridge, the way finally leaves civilization behind and enters the Alpine Lakes Wilderness at about 3.5 miles. A half mile farther, reach pretty little Lake Susan Jane (elev. 4600 ft) perched in a rocky cirque, an excellent spot to call it a day if you're not inclined to travel farther. Otherwise, continue on the PCT through meadows, climbing a little to reach a junction (elev. 4950 ft) on a tarn-blotched bench. The PCT proceeds right, passing high above Swimming Deer Lake on its way to Mig Lake. To reach Josephine Lake (elev. 4680 ft), head left on the Icicle Creek Trail, gently dropping down into the big basin. En route enjoy views of the verdant Icicle Creek valley and the gray Stuart Range hovering in the distance. Note from WTA: You can also access Lake Josephine via the Hope & Mig Lakes trailhead five miles before Stevens Pass. It's steeper and longer but doesn't have the powerlines.
Driving Directions:
From Everett head east on US 2 for 65 miles to Stevens Pass. Turn right into a large parking area on the south side of the highway, just east of the main Stevens Pass Ski Area buildings (elev. 4075 ft). Privy available. Recent Trip Reports
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Multi-night backpack
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Blowdowns | Bugs
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Nice hike, few blowdowns, bit buggy at the lakes. Lots of wildflowers blooming, but no berries....
Nice hike, few blowdowns, bit buggy at the lakes. Lots of wildflowers blooming, but no berries.
Josephine Lake
— Aug 15, 2011
— Coriantumr
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Blowdowns | Overgrown | Washouts | Water on trail | Snow on trail | Bugs
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NOTE: You will need a vehicle with about 8.5" of clearance - my Subaru Forester just barely made it. There...
NOTE: You will need a vehicle with about 8.5" of clearance - my Subaru Forester just barely made it. There are large protruding rocks/bouders, washouts, a (very small) creek crossing, and large potholes.
DIRECTIONS TO TRAIL HEAD: Most people access Josephine Lake from Stevens Pass along the Pacific Crest Trail. This adds mileage and a lot of elevation. You can reduce the trip to Lake Josephine to approximately a mile by taking the Upper Mill Creek Road off of Highway 2 (a few miles east of Stevens Pass). Follow the gravel road and stick to the main road that heads up the valley for approximately 4 miles. It is slow going. You'll reach the unofficial and unmarked trailhead when the road takes a sharp bend to the right and what seems like several streams converge at the bend. At the head of the bend, there is a piece of "CAUTION" tape tied to a branch. Park here. (If you continue following the road - you'll run into the Pacific Crest Trail. You'll need a 4-wheel drive truck with plenty of clearance to get there though. This would add approximately .5 miles) GETTING TO THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL: From the road, the trail is a boot path that is extremely steep for about 100 feet. It then meets up with a more established trail. Turn right and proceed uphill. Continue until the trail T's into the Pacific Crest Trail. You're now a short distance from Lake Susan Jane - a great place for a quick break. You can follow any map now for the rest of the directions to Josephine Lake. CONDITIONS: The mosquito's were on us instantly. Had to use 100% DEET to keep them off. Noticed that the mosquitos are smaller this year... Mosquitos were everywhere from where we parked to the lake and back. Snow starts near Lake Susan Jane, and there is still significant snow pack in the area. I've never seen so much snow in the area above Josephine Lake over 20+ years of hiking this trail. (I think we'll have some snow carrying over into next year.) However, the trail itself only had a few snow patches that are easily navigated. There are several blowdowns that seem to have accumulated over the past year or so. If you have a day pack, it is easy to get around them. If you have a full pack, it will take some effort. Huckberries are just starting - they are just bigger than a pinhead and green. It appears to be early-June up there. Plenty of water sources. I hiked the trail with my brother and his 3-year-old son. His son hiked most of the way to Josephine Lake and about 1/4 of the way out. The rest of the time he was content riding his dad's shoulders.
Josephine Lake
— Aug 11, 2011
— Barney
Multi-night backpack
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Blowdowns | Snow on trail | Bugs
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Started from Stevens Pass en route to Josephine Lake overnight and then on to Square Lake for a couple of...
Started from Stevens Pass en route to Josephine Lake overnight and then on to Square Lake for a couple of days. Lot's of blowdown and some treacherous snow patches on trail to Josephine. The Icicle Creek trail from Josephine toward Square Lake was impassable due to extensive blowdown. Had to abort.
Mosquito swarms at Josephine were amazing! Bring lots of repellent, and don't forget to spray your socks! The little buggers will bite right through them.
Josephine Lake
— Oct 06, 2010
— Fishon
Day hike
Features:
Fall foliage
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Arrived at the Pacific Crest Trailhead at the top of Stevens Pass at 7:45 under crystal clear skies. Climbed up...
Arrived at the Pacific Crest Trailhead at the top of Stevens Pass at 7:45 under crystal clear skies. Climbed up south thru the ski area towards Josephine Lake and made it to the top in an hour. The fall colors were on display on the back side of the ski area in the shinning sun and Glacier Peak was in view far to the north. Dropped down the back side, crossed the road and continued on towards Susan Jane Lake with heavy frost on the trail in places. Arrived at Josephine Lake at 10:15, ate a small lunch and fished for an hour. Caught one small trout that I returned to the lake, and started back up the trail on my way back out. The frost was still on the trail in the shaded areas, so it remained fairly cool all day. Saw one grouse and a total of 6 hikers and two dogs all day, with no one at Josephine Lake while I was there. Arrived back a the trail head at 2:45. Just another great day in the mountains.
Day hike
Features:
Fall foliage
Issues:
Mudholes
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The PCT south of Stevens Pass is in very good shape, gently gaining 1200 ft in two miles up to...
The PCT south of Stevens Pass is in very good shape, gently gaining 1200 ft in two miles up to the Gemini-Aquarius ski lift platform. The trailhead is well signed right off parking lot E at Steven's Pass ski center. The trail starts out in the woods, then crosses the ski slopes and chair lifts to the upper end of the valley, where it switchbacks up to the ridgeline. The views from on top are very nice (if you don't mind the chair lift machinery and power lines) and if you look SE you can see the PCT crossing the talus slopes and climbing the underbrush up to Lake Josephine.
The trail descends from the ridge 400 ft across exposed ski slopes which are ablaze with color this time of year. The path is a bit rocky and crowded by brush on either side but very passable. Check out the marmots on the big rock slide. Check out the old beer cans left by careless people. Must not be hikers because we try to minimize weight and the evidence indicates quite a drinking session. The path is pretty much broad and level from the rock slide all the way around to Lake Susan Jane, a small shallow pond with good campsites about 4 miles from the trailhead. There is a fairly new box toilet there. The path climbs up to a junction with the Icicle Creek trail. That trail circles Josephine Lake and eventually gets down to the water by the outlet. The PCT stays high on the ridge above Josephine and arrives at a nice overlook with rocks to sit on. As it turns out, this is the very same spot at which we had lunch last year when we came up over Hope and Mig lakes. Lots of trails link up south of Stevens Pass creating opportunities for many interesting loop hikes, if you park cars at either end. |
Photo by terpene.
2011
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