Sunset Park and Golden Lakes

The trail to Sunset Park and Golden Lakes is a section of the longer 93-mile Wonderland Trail that can also be hiked as an out-and-back beginning at Mowich Lake.

Find the trailhead on the south side of the lake, and keep right at the junction with the Wonderland Trail a quarter of a mile in. Prepare your knees for a long descent as you immediately head down a series of long switchbacks toward the Mowich River. After following the river up a ways and crossing via log bridge, you will get to recoup all that lost elevation gain (and then some) with the ascent up to Sunset Park.

The trail switchbacks up out of the river valley for several miles until reaching a pass where hikers can get a glimpse of their scenic end point. After another mile or two of hugging the hillside, hikers will soon come upon the cluster of lakes known as Golden Lakes.

There is a neat, old ranger cabin alongside the shores of one of the lakes, and a campground just past it. This is a great place to stop for a bite to eat or set up camp (if you have a permit).