What goes up must come down… and vise versa for this hike. This hike is difficult but not as bad as previous trip reports make it seem. If you’re a strong hiker with good navigation skills, you will have no problem on this trail. My advice, do not underestimate the hike back from Jade Lake to the trailhead!
My roommate and I stayed overnight at Jade Lake. For scenery purposes, I would recommend staying at Jade Lake versus Marmot Lake. Jade Lake is by far one of the prettiest lakes I have ever seen, and waking up to the sun shining over the turquoise-colored lake in the morning was well worth hiking up the side of the cliff with a backpack on.
The forest road to the parking lot is rough. Cars with high clearance will be fine. I drove my sedan, but I would not recommend this to anyone. There are many large puddles on the road that were difficult for my car to pass. About three quarters of the way up the forest road, you’ll have to drive through Scatter Creek, which has way more water flowing through it than it did three weeks ago when I hiked Tuck and Robin Lakes. Please be aware of this as it rains more throughout the season.
We started the hike at 10:15 am. The trail to Marmot Lake is in great condition and is very easy to follow if you read the signs carefully. In my opinion, the hike to Marmot Lake was easy on the way there, but I was not mentally prepared for how difficult it would be on the way back the next morning. On the way to the Marmot Lake, you gradually lose elevation for about a mile (which means you will have to hike uphill for about a mile the next day.)
We arrived at Marmot Lake at 3 pm and stopped to enjoy the lake and have a snack. We began to make the final push from Marmot Lake to Jade Lake at 4 pm. As others have previously stated, the trail between the two lakes can be challenging to follow. I recommend downloading a map on your phone to help you navigate this part of the trail. You’ll hike about halfway around Marmot Lake, where you’ll have to maneuver around and through bushy trees, large roots, fallen trees, and large boulders. Once you hike around the lake, you’ll reach a pretty steep rock path (picture below). Keep an eye out for cairns and follow them as best as you can. The rocks are loose, so be careful of where you step, especially if you are carrying a heavy backpack. Don't forget to turn around and look back at Marmot Lake. On a clear day you'll see Mt. Baker peeking out. Continue hiking up the boulder field for about a mile until you reach a beautiful meadow. It is gorgeous this time of year with all of the fall colors.
We arrived at Jade Lake at 5:30 pm. It was a Monday, and about ten other groups were camping when we arrived. We hiked nearly halfway around Jade Lake to find a camping spot. From what I observed, there were a couple more unoccupied camping spots, but not many. Be aware of this if you are planning to stay overnight at Jade Lake on the weekend. Consider what you will do if there are no camping spots left.
As I previously mentioned, the hike back to the parking lot will take some time. We left Jade Lake at 8:30 am and arrived back at the parking lot at 2 pm. We only took a couple of very short breaks along the way. Watch your step as you climb down the loose rock path and be careful of mud. It is slippery in some places, and I can imagine it will worsen as it rains more throughout the season.
Final tips: There is plenty of water along the trail to fill up your water bottles. Use the designated toilets. There is one at Hyas, Marmot, and Jade Lake. Enjoy the hike; Jade Lake is stunning!
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