Took my 4 year old out for his first multinight backpacking trip. We did this out and back over two nights. Forest Road 48 has a significant washout/rough spot about 6-7 miles up from Packwood and is recommended for high clearance 4x4 only until it is graded again. I bottomed out my CRV pretty badly. 

The trail can be a bit of a goat trail in places, especially after the 2.5 mile mark from the trailhead when it switches over to the Lily Basin side of the ridge. The view of Mt Rainier is incredible. The view of Johnson Peak is equally great once you cross into Lily Basin.

Over three days we saw exactly 4 people and 1 dog. Well worth the trip. 

This is a bit of a variation of the trail in the title.  I headed out from Berry patch on 9/8, and made my way to Heart Lake.  I had anecdotal reports that a high clearance vehicle was recommended to make it to Lilly Basin trailhead.  Night one was spent at Heart Lake, and I was pleased to have the place all to myself.  I should have heeded caution setting up camp- one person I met at the Berry Patch trailhead said they snapped a tent pole at Johnson Creek Basin the night previous from high winds.

I didn't fare much better myself, and ended up repositioning and tying down my tent at 2 in the morning when I was awaken by the tent pushing in on my face, the fly catching the wind like a sail.

The following morning I headed back up Lilly Basin trail to connect with Snowgrass.  Took a bit of a spill crossing some talus where Lilly Basin approaches the ridge, beware eroded trail here.  Headed onward to the PCT to Cispus Basin.  I got in late to Cispus Basin and took in a spectacular sunset.  The most obvious sites were occupied, but I was able to follow a dry creekbed up the hill to some other established sites under the Goat Rocks mastiff, and a perfect distance from water.

Day 3, headed up to Old Snowy for an out and back.  Water is scarce and the land exposed heading up the PCT.  Luckily there was a big tarn full of snowmelt just below Snowy that provided a resupply on the way back down.  Views were spectacular despite the encroaching smoke.

Day 4, back to Berry Patch via Snowgrass.  Lots of people coming up for the weekend apparently.  Smoke got significantly worse as I dropped down in elevation.  Everyone was very courteous and made way when possible, and almost all masked up.

I met a couple lovely ladies on the trail over multiple days, and promised to post a trip report with some pictures.  My blog isn't quite ready to roll, and I'm having a heck of a time figuring out how to insert pictures here, but I've put everything up on Flickr.  I firmly believe a picture is worth a thousand words.  Goat Rocks is absolutely breathtaking.  https://www.flickr.com/gp/188713878@N06/19s83P

I covered a lot of ground on this five-day solo adventure. There's a lot already written about the Goat Rocks area, so I'll try to stick to a few important details to consider before heading out that way. My trip began and ended at Berry Patch trailhead. First day I headed up Goat Ridge Trail #95, through Jordan Basin which was absolutely gorgeous, with a few pristine campsites close to a creek/waterfalls and among wildflowers with sweeping views - a fine place to base camp in peace and then day hike to the busier areas. But I was headed to Heart Lake for two nights, so I continued up the Lily Basin Trail #86. Lily Basin is MUCH LESS CROWDED than Snowgrass Flats, and equally gorgeous.

IMPORTANT FOR YOUR SAFETY: There is currently a dangerous snow field just on the other side of the ridge below Hawkeye Point. I know because I attempted to cross it with hiking boots and trekking poles, and slipped. Luckily a day hiker was nearby, who I eventually dropped my pack to and who coached me through digging in my toes and using my poles as spikes to keep me from sliding down the long steep slope into the rocky mess below (thank you to my guardian angel Bill for saving me from serious injury that day!). Others were going down and around the snow field, which has its own issues but is a bit safer. Another option (which I did coming back this way two days later) is to take the trail from the ridge that goes onto the smaller peak before Hawkeye Point, then down the other side into Lily Basin. Also steep and slow going, but less risky than crossing the snow field.

Heart Lake is quiet and warm and very swimmable. Bugs were annoying but manageable. A day hike into Lily Basin to the point where you can see Packwood Lake with Mt. Rainier towering above it was short and sweet and chock full of wildflowers, marmots, and endless views of Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier. It’s also possible to day hike to Angry Mountain from Heart Lake, and I met some folks trying to reach Johnson Peak above the lake. Essentially, a quiet area with tons of exploration opportunities.

From Heart Lake I took Lily Basin Trail #86 past Goat Lake (beautiful and COLD and fragile - I hope folks aren’t camping close to it and instead choosing the sites with views of the basin and waterfall) to Snowgrass Trail #96 up to the PCT. I took a right at the PCT and headed closer to the water source for camping, however I recommend taking a left and grabbing one of the AMAZING sites just a short distance up the PCT and making an extra long trek to water (there are snow fields a ways up the trail, or a creek a short distance south of the #96/PCT junction). The area just south of the #96/PCT junction was very crowded even midweek (I could hear people talking and an air mattress squeaking at night, I kid you not). You can also opt to continue down the PCT into Cispus Basin, another view-packed area with jaw-dropping campsites and fewer crowds. 

It’s an easy day hike to Old Snowy from Snowgrass Flats, and I highly recommend it! Heading up the flats and into the alpine region on a windy, cloudy day was breathtaking, with stunted trees, wildflowers, marmots, Split Rock, and even two horses grazing in a field (they were with people resting nearby). Be sure to bring your trekking poles to safely cross a couple of snow fields along the way. It’s a steep trail up Old Snowy, with some bouldering, but doable for hearty hikers. I didn’t end up going to the tippy top, as it was threatening rain, but the view from the top of the PCT alternate route literally made me tear up, it was so incredibly vast and dramatic. Even with the high clouds, it seemed like I could see the entire state of Washington from that point. 

The hike out via Bypass Trail #97 and Snowgrass Flats #96 to Berry Patch Trailhead was entirely through forest and pretty boring compared to the previous four days of sensory overload. It was a Friday morning and I passed by dozens of groups heading in for the weekend. This entire area is VERY CROWDED and I would only recommend visiting it on weekdays.

We did this as a two car hike. Hiked in to Heart Lake via Lily Basin and out via Angry Mt. 

ROAD CONDITIONS:

Drove one car to Angry Mt. Trailhead. The road up here is mostly passable except one large full road width ditch. My friends Outback made it, only getting stuck once. There was a lower clearance Subaru up there (impressive driving if that was you!) so it can be passed. My Crosstrek made it but I was more hesitant speeding over the gap and got stuck twice. New car worries! The road to Lily Basin trail was completely passable without concern.

TRAIL CONDITIONS: 

LILY BASIN TRAIL is the far more utilized trail to access Heart Lake. It was pretty trail, a little time in the trees, open views of Rainier regularly throughout, a couple meadow areas with wildflowers in all their glory, and a scree field that was short and easily crossed. I will say water sources were limited through the middle half of the hike and since it was such a hot day I did get pretty low on water as we approached the next water source. Not a huge concern of running out but something to be aware of, especially on a hot, late-ish season day. My Gaia app showed a gain of just over 2000ft and it was gradual throughout the 7.1 miles hiked. 

THE JUNCTION of the Lily Basin:Heart Lake:Angry Mt trails was the most beautiful part of this hike. Surrounded by the trifecta of Rainier, Adams, and St. Helens made great 360 views. On the way out there was less haze and Hood peeked her top out too! 

HEART LAKE TRAIL was a gradual decline. One thing to note is you will hit a junction in that trail. One way goes the to the top (bumps of the heart) which leads to 2-3 exposed camp sites in the meadow. The other doesn't initially look like it goes anywhere but actually gets you to the point of Heart Lake where there are a couple more campsites tucked back in the trees. Given the heat we welcomed the trees with peek-a-boo views of the basin and very close/easy access to the lake. *There is NO trail that connects the top and bottom of the lake without bushwhacking or climbing back up the trial. 

HEART LAKE is somewhat unimpressive as a lake. The best view of the lake is from above if you wish to appreciate the shape and colors. At lakeside you'll find a shallow, warm, silty lake. My hiking buddy had a blast watching and trying to catch the salamanders that live in the bottom. The bugs were not overwhelming but biting flies, no see-ums, and gnats were an overall annoyance. My friends went on a day hike (continuing along the Heart Lake trail to the next ridge) on Tuesday which I chose not to do as my dog was seeming to have flared an old back injury on the way in. She chose to mostly lay out in the grass among the flowers,undisturbed by the bugs, but I couldn't tolerate them and had to seek shelter in my tent for most the days (thank God for mesh walled tents and good basin views). Our dinner spot on a ridge, overlooking the peaks looking toward Adams was fantastic. 

ANGRY MT TRAIL was in someways my favorite of the two entry trails. Once you climb back up to the junction an admire the view again you'll hike along the ridge for a period of time before dropping in to the trees (a welcomed relief on another hot day). We took a pause on cluster of boulders to have admire the view. Unbeknownst to us this was likely the home of a marmot we were watching below and he/she wanted to get back so came running up the hill toward and under us. Definitely the closest I've been to one, which was fun to watch, but we left fairly quickly to avoid any more disturbance to it. Once in the trees (at about 4-4.5mi) you begin the descent down. From there it's a pretty steady decline out (~4000 loss in ~5mi per Gaia). Overall the trail was easily found/navigated but definitely more narrow and overgrown in areas than other trails and there were a couple of downed trees to crawl over or under. Fell once trying to get over one but it was more hiker error than being exceptionally hard to get over. There are LITTLE TO NO water sources on this trail so plan ahead in this regard.

The general consensus of the group is we preferred the Angry Mt trail but both had their perks.  

The road feature on the way to the trailhead is an intimidating combination of a loose steep grade and a do-we-have-that-much-clearance? sized dip. We made it fine in our CR-V and didn't scrape, but there was evidence that plenty of others hit bottom. Wouldn't have attempted it in our sedan. 

The hike is great, some cool big tree crossings, some runoff, views, lovely subalpine meadows, worth it. 

But, the mosquitoes and biting flies were ravenous and incessant. Especially at the lake. We have hundreds of bites each. The tent was most effective at keeping them off.