Wanted to hike near Rainer with the dogs and found some good options in Dewey/Cougar lakes but needed to make a loop where we didn't start in the national park.
Started out Friday afternoon about 5PM at the Mestachee Creek Trail-head - at the time the parking lot was totally empty and we parked to the side of the road to leave the campsites open. On the way out we took Dewey Lake Way along the American River and hiked a little less than 6 miles in to camp at a site along the river right before the trail turns up towards the climb to Dewey Lake. We were the only ones on the trail all of Friday - great quiet hike.
Saturday morning we broke camp and hiked up to Dewey Lake which was very beautiful with low hanging clouds still breaking up over it. After the lake hopped on the PCT - which was the most crowded part of our hike - and then turned off at the American Ridge trail then took the split off to Cougar Lakes. Lots of blueberries along this part of the trail - we definitely had blue stained fingers by the end of the day. Found a great site at the lakes (though many are closed for restoration there's still good spots to be found) and though the lake was probably warm enough (by which I mean not totally frigid) to swim in it was really windy so we settled for dipping our feet in to avoid turning into popsicles when we got out.
Sunday we took the American Ridge trail out to the Mestatchee Creek trail which took us all the way back to the Trailhead. Very nice trails - though very dusty right now - but it was nice to have a soft ground underfoot while going down 3200 ft. We didn't see anyone on the trail until about a mile from the trail-head. I would definitely recommend doing the loop in this order (up on Dewey Lake Way and down on Mesatchee Creek Trail) because the way down on Mestachee Creek is a very manageable incline but very very long and might have been a spirit breaker if we had to go up that way.
All in all a beautiful trip with lots of berries, flowers, nice weather, and beautiful views.
Comments
RonMon on Dewey Lake, Cougar Lakes, American Ridge, Mesatchee Creek
I'm planning on doing the same route in a few days (minus the side trip down to the Cougar Lakes). I did Chinook Pass to White Pass a month ago and wanted to try the loop you did once again as I failed to complete it last year due to equipment failures, weather and "broken spirit". I also did the reverse route and agree that my spirit was broken getting to the American Ridge junction coming up Mesatchee Creek.
Posted by:
RonMon on Aug 31, 2020 11:04 AM
Jaycetify on Dewey Lake, Cougar Lakes, American Ridge, Mesatchee Creek
may have to do this starting point from now on. i've done dewey lake to american lake a couple times but the naches loop trailhead is always super packed, hard to find parking and i don't like stressing my dogs out with all the cars and people on the dog friendly section that drops you down to dewey lake.
Posted by:
PNWAstroOtter on Sep 01, 2020 02:56 PM