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.
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