Arrived at the TH at 5:30 am. Only a few other cars that I saw(it was dark). The bathroom is open and stocked with tp.

The road going in is great, the last section is gravel but there are no potholes and just some washboarding, any car can make it just fine.

Did the first 3 miles in the dark and they are pretty easy. The climb up to Rachel lake is the worth part of this whole venture. It's rocky, rooty, and hard to follow at times(have nav). Sometimes the trail looks like a old creek-bed and it easy to miss.

Rachel lake itself is beautiful and there are fall colors to be seen there as well. Had the lake to myself. Took a snack break down at the beach and enjoyed the solitude.

The climb from Rachel to Rampart is not bad, it's just some somewhat steep tight switchbacks, and terrain-wise are way better than the climb to Rachel itself.

At the top I made my way for the trail up to Alta. This is the section where the fall colors are just spectacular. Everything in the alpine in popping right now and it's stunning.

The ridge climb to Alta is pretty easy, very clear bootpath, and no scrambling. You are near some edges at times though if heights freak you out.

The only thing I'll say is that there are 2 false summits on the ridge, you think you're there, and then you get up on top and see the “real” summit just a little ways further. I wish I'd known that going in.

All that being said the summit itself is awesome. Had it all to myself the entire time. Views of the surrounding peaks. Sadly the haze prevented me from the clearest view, but it was still great, especially seeing the fall colors in the valley below.

Spent a good 30 mins on the summit, and no one else came. I was almost off the Alta peak branch of the trail by the time I passed another hiker going for the peak.

I took the junction to check out Lila lake on my way back, the meadows below had amazing fall color and I couldn't pass that up. Encountered two backpackers heading towards the lake.

Heading back to Rachel and the parking lot is when I met more people, a mix of backpackers and day hikers. Some were heading to Rampart while others just stuck with Rachel. Not too crowded though, probably 20 other people in total.

The lot was almost full when I got back, so it's a popular trailhead even on a weekend.

Overall a really fun and I'd say easy peak in the Snoqualmie pass area, with some awesome fall colors.

Great autumn day hike to Rachel and Lila Lakes! Both lakes very swimmable yesterday, bit cold at first but really refreshing after a brisk hike. Blueberry foliage is 100% gorgeous, and even found some tasty last-of-the-season blueberries near Lila Lake.

We arrived at the Rachel Lake trailhead shortly before noon. The road to the trailhead is gravel for the last few miles and is a little bumpy at the beginning. There were very few potholes though, so it was a mostly smooth drive. The parking lot was full but there was still plenty of room to park nearby on the side of the road.

We started off on the trail and immediately started to gain elevation. As we headed up we could hear the occasional car from the forest road below before getting further along and hearing the rushing of Box Canyon Creek. This short first section of the trail has a few steep parts but before long the trail flattens out. For most of the rest of the way to the lake the trail does not gain a ton of elevation. Along the way there were quite a few places where we could stop and gaze at the creek below. There were several beautiful waterfalls and rapids, as well as many large rocks that would make great places to rest on near the creek. As we made our way along there were many creek crossings, most of which were very low or completely dry. Some of them had beautiful waterfalls of their own as well.

At some points along the trail, the forest would open up a little and we could see the mountains that towered over the valley. Though for the most part, the only views along the trail were the forest and creek. At times there were bushes that were showing bright red fall colors, but it was still too early for the trees to look like they will later in fall.

The last stretch of the trail is the only prolonged steep part, but it felt longer than it probably was due to the majority of the hike being so flat up until then. This climb up to the lake had several more beautiful places to rest by the creek with some magnificent waterfalls as well. As we climbed we also began to have better views of the valley below. Eventually, we got to a rock outcropping that had wonderful views of the valley and mountains on either side. Hibox Mountain stood tall above us and stretched out to the East. It had interesting rock formations part way down the valley and a few fall colors scattered across its mountainside. We stopped here to take pictures for a while and then continued on, as we still had a little way to go to reach the lake.

When we reached Rachel Lake we walked down by the shore to rest, have a snack, and take pictures. Even though the weather forecast said it would become partly cloudy in the afternoon, it was almost a perfect blue sky day the whole time. It wasn’t smoky at all compared to a few days prior. The lake itself was peaceful and beautiful and the water was calm and clear. The sun had gotten lower and blocked some of our view of the rocks surrounding the lake, but it was still magnificent. If it had been a little bit hotter I might have jumped in, but I will definitely make sure to do that next time.

On the way down we were careful going down the steep part, but once the trail flattened out again it was a pretty easy walk back to the car. Rachel Lake was such a beautiful hike that I would definitely do again! Next time I come here I want to make it to Rampart Lakes and Lila Lake as I hear those are spectacular as well.

Stunning view and lake. Challenging scramble for the last mile up to the lake - pack light.

The road to the trailhead was in good shape. The gravel portions had a lot of washboard, but no significant potholes. On a Monday morning, there were about 8 cars in the parking lot.

On the trail, there were a few minor blowdowns, but nothing that posed much of an obstacle. This trail is not for the faint of knee, however, and it certainly favors the sure footed over the fleet footed hiker. There are a few big steps in the first half mile of the trail, but the real fun starts about a mile before Rachel Lake. This last mile is a real boot eater. It gains about 1200 feet, but the bigger challenge is the tread rather than the elevation gain. Throughout this section, there is little chance to get your full foot on the ground. It features a lot of loose rock, roots, big steps, and, of course, the climb. After Rachel, the tread is a bit more stable, and a bit less steep, until reaching Rampart Ridge after a little over 1/2 mile. Along the ridge, the trail generally rolls to Rampart Lakes or climbs over rough terrain to a ridge above Lila Lake.

Rachel Lake had a number of nice camp sites as you first hit the lake. None of them were occupied either time I went by. Rampart Lakes, likewise, has quite a few sites scattered among the lakes. I ran into a few groups that had spent the night, but no-one was camped at the lakes during my brief afternoon visit.

There are also a number of camp sites on the near edge of Lila Lake, both North and South, as you first descend to the lake. There are also 3 or 4 additional sites between Lila and a smaller lake on the far side, and there may be more near another, even smaller, lake a little further East. I had the lake area to myself for a few hours, until another party came in the late afternoon.