This hike was too beautiful to not write a trip report about. And also, would just love to let people know what to expect when doing the hike. I know Goat Rocks Wilderness itself is an overused area so it was definitely nice to enjoy some solitude away from the crowds when doing this hike mid-week!
Our original plan was to climb Sahale Glacier but due to the Pincer Creek fire, we had to cancel our trip. Our group was looking for something moderately challenging and thought heading to Goat Rocks would satisfy our needs.
Getting to the Trailhead
Road is relatively rough-ish. There are no potholes but the way the road was grated (I don't know if that's the right term) so it can get bumpy at times. I drive a Honda Civic Hatchback and had no problems driving to the trailhead. I was able to drive a consistent 25-30 mph and slowed down when there's a turn. I always do that just in case there are cars coming just around. I did see a truck hauling a trailer and that almost hit me on the way back - it was about 8:30pm on a Thursday night. Drive safely and share the road!
Signs were well labeled - the road also gets you to Walupt Lake Campground but you won't miss the turn to get you to Snowgrass/Berry Patch Trailheads.
Day 1: Berry Patch Trailhead to PCT Junction
We parked our cars at the Berry Patch Trailhead. We know it connects with the Snowgrass Flat Trailhead (~0.7 miles). We planned on doing the loop and will eventually end up at Berry Patch and that's why we parked our cars here. The lot wasn't full at 9:20am on a Wednesday. But there was one car that was parked on the side of the road when we returned on Thursday evening. But I think it is significantly better than heading here on the weekend.
There is a booth to self register for permits. It's important to do this just in case does happen to you on the trail (fingers crossed nothing does!). There is a pen and pencil - so there was no problem filling out the permit.
Sign at the TH said it was about ~5 miles to get to the Snowgrass Flats junction with Lily Basin Trail. We steadily hiked through the dense forest until we reached the intersection of Lily Basin Trail. I think it was a few trip reports back but the first 3 miles of the hike was underwhelming - boring if I might add. But it was nice because it was mostly shaded. Even on a 60 degree day, it could feel hot when hiking in the sun so the trees definitely provided more protection from the sun.
The first part didn't take too long. We got to the junction - our original plan was to set up camp at Alpine Camp (which is clearly marked on Green Trails Maps and Gaia GPS) but we decided to head towards the PCT junction as we heard there were better campsites there. Water source was nonexistent all the way to the PCT junction. There was an extremely slow running stream that looked like it might evaporate soon if we don't get any more rainfall. The closest water source is 0.2 miles from the PCT Junction downwards towards Cispus Basin. This stream is flowing pretty strong so I recommend getting water here if you plan on exploring either Cispus Basin or Old Snowy Mountain.
There were lots of good options in the basin near the PCT Junction - there are established campsites (with fire rings and whatnot, but fire ban is obviously still in effect so no campfires for now). I could see everyone would be camping on the meadows if it's the weekend but there are plenty of reasonable patches that you can easily camp on. I didn't see any toilet paper or trash so that was actually really nice!
We took a little side trip towards Cispus Basin and ran into a few PCT thru-hikers. It honestly made me so happy to see them because I've always read about the hike and it was good to finally meet some of them and let alone, be on part of the trail myself. We opted for what might be a campsite and ate some snacks and enjoyed the sun slowly falling below the horizon. It was a little hazy but we could still see the mountain layers from afar to the north (I think). We then hiked fairly quickly back to our camps because we wanted to catch the last light near it. It didn't disappoint.
Mount Adams showed up along with Mount St. Helens from a distance. The sky then turned into a violent shade of purples, reds, oranges - you name it. It was truly a cotton candy sky. Shortly after catching sunset, making dinner and catching up with friends, I fell asleep under the stars with my rainfly off since rain was not forecasted at all.
Day 2: PCT Junction to Goat Lake to Berry Patch Trailhead
Day 2 was a relatively big day for us - our group was being ambitious. Our plan was to hike up to Old Snowy Mountain but due to the haze and after chatting with a fellow hiker, we decided to just take the horse trail towards Knife's Edge. We woke up at 6:30 am to catch some of the morning light - it was amazing to see Mount Adams slowly light up.
I included Old Snowy Mountain because we got to the junction of it and obviously, it connects with the PCT trail at some point before heading down to Knife's Edge. The trail was in very good condition except maybe the horse trail. It could feel a little sketchy at times. There was a very small snow patch to cross. We all did it without spikes. We did use poles to not risk sliding off to the side. There was a super tiny stretch on the horse trail that was sketchy to cross because it was still packed and icy since the sun hasn't hit that patch yet during that time of day (around 10ish am) but we crossed it with no problems. Just watch your step and take your time! Most of the horse trail is just rock chips - large and small. It shouldn't be a problem for seasoned hikers. But if you have children with you, be careful!
The entire section was simply beautiful. We could see Mount Rainier from afar - although it was hazier than the day before. We saw some goats hanging out below in the basin. Shortly after crossing the small snow patch and taking our time climbing the last stretch, I finally got to see Knife's Edge up close and personal. Packwood Glacier to the right was pretty non-existent but you could see that it is indeed a glacier.
We had snacks and refueled right before Knife's Edge and decided it was time to head back to camp and pack up. At this point, we still weren't sure if we would take the way we came or should we opt to complete the loop. For some reason, we were all really tired. We packed up our things, ate some more snacks, rested for a bit and decided we were going to push through to Goat Lake and head the other directions.
Goat Lake was great and it was pretty much completely melted out- the trail up wasn't hard except for the first part where we reconnected with the Lily Basin Trail. I found it a little difficult because of how heavy my pack was (turns out I needed to readjust it - I didn't do that until I went back home on Thursday night). We stock up on some water as we still had a good 5ish miles to go. Our bodies definitely felt sore and tired. But as we were greeted with more views along Jordan Basin, our morales were once again uplifted. I finally understand why people rush to Goat Rocks Wilderness - this part of the state is truly amazing. As you hike, Mount Adams is always almost by your side. While the wildflowers don't exist anymore, you could see that we are currently transitioning into fall. I can't imagine how beautiful this place would be once the fall colors hit!
The trail back was relatively steep. Due to our exhaustion, we thought we could hike back relatively fast. But going downhill was obviously sometimes worse than going uphill. If you are looking to camp in this area, there are plenty of amazing spots with more options for water! This part was definitely less dry than the section between Snowgrass Flat and the PCT Junction. I could see why more people opted to camp on this side. If you're able to overcome the steep climb hiking clockwise then you will be rewarded with great campsites and an abundance of water sources.
Towards the end (~2 miles from Berry Patch), I was ready to be done with the hike (ha!) so I did a little bit of trail running back to the car. The last stretch was similar to when we started hiking through forests. No views. But it was still a good walk in the woods and be shaded from the sun.
Conclusion
Sorry about this long and lengthy trip report! I tried to be as specific as possible with water sources and what to expect on the trail. Nonetheless, you will not be disappointed with a hike into Goat Rocks Wilderness. The hike was truly spectacular and very versatile. You'll hike up into the alpines and also through a forest. Being to see all three mountains in one hike was such a treat!
We stopped by Blue Spruce Saloon and Bar on the way back in Packwood - the food wasn't the best but definitely great after doing a long hike!
Stats from Gaia:
Distance: 22.2 miles
Total Time: 12 hours (moving time), 2 hours (stopped time)
Elevation Gain: 4623 feet
Pass: America the Beautiful or NW Forest pass
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