The highway is in good shape. The DOT was getting some ditch work done so there was a brief stop on the way up. There were 9 cars in the Bagley Lakes Trailhead parking lot when I arrived. The bathroom was clean and well stocked. 
I started with the Bagley Lakes (east) side of the lake. There was snow in places on the vegetation below 4300’, but the trail was mostly dry with a few muddy spots and a couple of easy to negotiate icy patches to the stone arch bridge. 
Heading up to Herman Saddle patchy compact snow on the trail started around 4300’ becoming mostly solid by 4500’ and about a foot deep around 5000’. There was a good boot pack all of the way to the saddle. The snow was dense but slushy underneath. 
Fewer people had continued on to complete the loop, so while there was a boot pack that went the right way and was easy to follow, the snow travel was more difficult with a lot of slushy post holing down to Iceberg lake. From there to Mazama lake there were some bare, but muddy and wet patches of trail and the snow was only a couple of inches deep. It quickly got deeper and back to slushy post holing climbing up to the Ptarmigan Ridge junction. From there to Artist Point was a slog. Multiple avalanches had released and the post holing through the rubble was knee deep. I didn’t think there was enough snow for it to slide that much so was glad it had already done so. 
The snow at Artist Point was 4-6” in the parking lot. 
Wild Goose trail down to the Lake Ann junction had knee deep wind drifts and there were a lot of foot prints that showed most people had abandoned the trail for easier walking on highway. Route finding was necessary in places. Below Lake Ann the bootpack was solid again. From the Austin Pass Picnic area back to the trailhead the lower section of Wild Goose trail was snow free, but wet and muddy. 
I wore boots and wanted gaiters after Herman Saddle. Poles were useful and if it was colder I would have put on spikes for the descent from Artist Point on Wild Goose trail. 
It was fairly calm and warm at the trail head when I started at 10:30, but the wind picked up in the higher elevations and there were gusts in the 50s. It started raining at 2 pm. 
There is still some lingering fall color around Bagley and Picture Lake and it is really colorful down in the river valley, but it is winter at the higher elevations. 

Today might have been one of our favorite hikes of the year. It wasn’t super strenuous but it was so enjoyable. We parked at Bagley Lakes, plenty of parking and bathroom is clean. Trail is muddy and wet here and there. Our goals for today were to see the new bridge ✔️ and hike the ladder stairs on wild Goose up to Artist Point ✔️. We hiked on the Chain Lakes side of Bagley lakes first, crossing both the new bridge and the stone bridge. We made our way up to Heather Meadows and over to the Upper Wild Goose Trail. Get ready for your heart rate to go up. It’s not super strenuous for long. The ladder stairs definitely get you going. Overflow parking and shoulders were filling up by 11 am near Artist Point. I was shocked how busy it was for a Monday. Even in July and August, it wasn’t this busy. Once at Artist Point we headed out to Huntoon Point to find a spot to sit, have snacks and paint. While there we spotted 2 mountain goats across the valley. The fall colors are amazing. Still plenty of blueberries, and some flowers hanging on like monkey flower, spring everlastings and harebells. Even with it being busy, it was still really enjoyable. 
5.5 miles total. 

Trip report by Molly, age 8

There is a new bridge at Bagley Lakes. It’s gold color and fun to walk on. There are still a few huckleberries and blueberries around. When you go across the stone bridge, the visitors center is closed. After that we went on Wild Goose Trail. After awhile, we came to these stairs that were super steep, almost like ladders. There are 4 sets of them. There are monuments to mark your way with pictures of geese on them. Then you cross the road, and have to go up. Then you are at Artist Point. Next went to Huntoon Point. We went to the very end where we saw mountain goats. While I was there, I painted in my journal a picture of Mount Baker. On the way back down, we saw a pika. We went back on the other side of Bagley Lakes to the car. 

Note: Due to a dam removal project, Bagley Lakes trail cannot currently be accessed from the regular trailhead nor can it be hiked as a loop since parts of the trail are closed.

We were already parked at the Bagley Lakes trailhead and ready to hike when we saw the notice posted about the trail closure, so we ended up hiking up the Wild Goose trail from there to the Heather Meadows visitor center, then down to the stone bridge, and a short way along the Bagley Lakes Trail before returning the way we came. Be aware this route has more elevation gain (in both directions), and is steeper and rockier than the regular Bagley Lakes loop.

The upside of this route - So.Many.Blueberries! A few were mushy, but many were at peak ripeness and deliciousness. Also, great views, and not too crowded along the Wild Goose section. Fall colors are starting to show, especially as you go up in elevation.

we hiked to the bridge and came back along Bagley lakes trail. there were so many wildflowers i stopped counting and taking pics. it was Monday and overcast so not crowded. we didn't see the mountain which was unfortunate.

We started our hike from Heather Meadows around 2 PM with a mixed group—several adults, one teenager, a five-year-old, and two dogs. The trail was easy to follow from the start, with little to no elevation gain for the first mile as it wound around Bagley Lakes. The lakes were a popular spot for families with small children to cool off, and we saw several people swimming and picnicking.

Just past the stone bridge, our group split. The younger kids and an older dog took the short loop back toward Heather Meadows, while the rest of us continued the full Chain Lakes Loop clockwise.

The climb began after the bridge, and although steady, it was manageable and rewarded us with sweeping 360° views as we reached the ridge. The scenery up top was absolutely stunning, with Mt. Baker and surrounding peaks creating a dramatic backdrop.

Descending toward Iceberg Lake and Hayes Lake, we encountered several scenic lakefront campsites (first-come, first-served). We paused at Hayes Lake for a snack and swim—one of the highlights of the day.

Continuing on, we passed several small waterfalls and stream crossings—great for cooling off or refilling water with a filter. Wildflowers were in peak bloom throughout much of the trail. Snow was minimal and easily passable.

We reached Artist Point late in the afternoon and followed the Wild Goose Trail just to the right of the men's restroom. This 2.5-mile trail led us downhill through forested switchbacks, though the path can be hard to follow at first—look left of the visitor center at the second parking lot to find the trailhead.

Tip: Next time, we plan to shuttle a car from Artist Point. The Wild Goose Trail adds unnecessary elevation gain at the end of a long day and feels like a bit of a wild goose chase—true to its name.