Thunder Mountain Lakes — Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025

This was my first time at Thunder Mountain Lakes, and I would like to point out a few things as much has been written about before.

1. Do NOT follow the WTA’s Google map link on this page. It doesn’t get you to the Tunnel Creek trailhead. Instead, you need to continue on on Hwy 2 for another 5 minutes or so until the highway is split and curves. Immediately after the curve, you turn on to a forest road that has many potholes (but is passable if you drive carefully) and is mostly one lane. You come to a junction where you need to turn left and the trailhead is right there. No privy and parking space is limited along the forest road.

2. First part up to Hope Lake is in good condition and it looks like WTA is planning on working on parts of the section. There are some steeper sections. Hope Lake is more of a pond but a lake but still pretty. Here’s the junction with the PCT. Follow the PCT to the right. Trail in great condition. Water sources available. Great view of Trap Lake. Once you get to the ridge (there’s a tent spot) the offshoot trail to Thunder Mountain Lakes is easy to miss. If you follow the wider trail and find yourself going down, you have missed it and are on your way to Surprise Lake. Instead, keep straight on the ridge to follow the Thunder Mountain Lakes trail. That’s when the trail becomes adventurous. Narrow, rugged, steep at times, uneven. You follow a narrow ridge line through the woods before you enter the open meadows and bolder fields. No water sources on this trail until you get to the lake.

3. DOWNLOAD THE MAP!!! (Alltrails map worked great). Despite trip reports saying there are cairns and a boot path, the cairns are few and far apart and the trail sometimes just disappears in the boulder fields. You need to be able to navigate with the map (at least, I found it extremely helpful during these sections). You should also feel comfortable scrambling over some larger boulders. There are at least 3 or 4 boulder fields to cross.

4. The area is insanely beautiful but fragile. I packed all out, including my Number 2 in a blue bag. The area is not made for burying it deep enough. 

5. No cell reception at all - at least for me. Not even in the parking lot. So an inReach would be great to have.

Overall a great overnighter despite the rain and cooler temperatures. Snacked on many berries. Happy hiking!