Lake Dorothy is such an underrated hike. We've always loved Dorothy, but when it was only a couple miles, it would be very busy. Now with the washout in the road and the smaller trailhead, the area is way more quiet!
If you are planning to backpack, there are some really good spots right at the center of the lake. There typically is a nice little breeze at these sites to help mitigate the bugs, but once the wind stops the bugs will roll back in. July in Washington is usually bad, and the bugs were definitely annoying on this trip but weren't the worst we've seen.
Here is a video of our overnight trip: https://youtu.be/1MANwVHgSbo
There is a water crossing on the main road before getting to the old trailhead. Plus parts of the trail are starting to overgrow a little tiny bit. But overall the trail is in good shape and easy to follow.
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