Gold Creek Pond — Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021

Expect parking to be very difficult. The parking lot at Gold Creek Pond is closed for the winter. There were very few actual parking spots at the next trailhead closest to I-90 and towing was active. Most people were finding parking on the road paralleling I-90, Forest Road 4832, but it was icy and many cars were stuck or needed help. We parked on the other side of I-90 in the Hyak parking area and walked, and we were glad we did. There was a traffic jam of stuck and slipping cars trying to exit the road.

The loop around Gold Creek Pond was very crowded with snowshoers, hikers, and dogs. The trails were well packed with snow and if hikers stayed on the trail they were fine. The pond was nearly completely frozen over and was very pretty. It's a fun easy loop if you don't mind the hassle of parking and the crowds.