We arrived at the Tipsoo Lake parking area at 9 AM Sunday and there were two spaces left. We hiked the Naches Peak Loop trail (Pacific Crest Trail) in the clockwise direction to the junction where the loop trail continues around Naches Peak and the PCT drops down to Dewey Lake. That first section to the trail junction was fairly crowded, but most of the hikers were doing the loop trail so there were way fewer hikers from there on down to the lake. Since it's the PCT, the trail is easy hiking. At the overlook a little before the trail junction, you have a nice view down to Dewey Lake and peaks beyond to the east. You can also see the very top of Mt. Adams peaking over a ridge to the south. From the long traverse a little below the trail junction, there is a good view to the southwest that includes peaks in the Tatoosh range just south of Rainier.
The trail arrives at Dewey Lake near the inlet. We walked all the way around the lake clockwise with a lunch break on a beach. The path got a little indistinct towards the east end of the lake and there was a stretch of a couple hundred feet just north of the outlet stream that required a bit of bushwacking but not hard. There's a log across the outlet to cross. From there back to the PCT, which runs along the south side of the lake, the trail is clear. There's a nice sandy beach by the outlet. The water is super clear and we watched big trout swimming by. We saw bear scat and what we think was elk scat.
This is an easy hike with some nice views to a pretty lake.
Note to hikers with dogs: The ~1/4-mile trail from the Tipsoo Lake parking lot to where the PCT crosses Hwy 410 on the footbridge and the trail to Dewey Lake begins is signed "no pets" at both ends. This makes no sense since the only alternative from the parking lot would be to walk the highway to the footbridge (not safe), and dogs are allowed on the PCT. If you want to abide by the signage, it's possible to park along the road near the footbridge or at the overlook lot a little east of the footbridge.
OK, based on comments below, here's some clarification:
If you want to hike the trail to Dewey Lake from Chinook Pass with your dog, don't park in the Tipsoo Lake parking lot planning to walk the short trail from there to the start of the trail at the footbridge over Hwy 410 at the pass. The Tipsoo Lake parking lot is just barely inside the National Park hence the "no pets" signage on the trail there. Instead, park just east of the pass which is outside the Park boundary.
Comments
skipole on Dewey Lake
Rainier national park prohibits dogs on trails (including the PCT in the park) but the forest service doesn't. The park boundary is irregular in that area so which rule applies can be confusing. If in doubt, leave the dog home.
Posted by:
skipole on Aug 29, 2022 01:01 PM
shuksan1 on Dewey Lake
I agree, if in doubt don't bring the dog. However, in this case I was not in doubt because the WTA trail description for the Dewey Lake hike specially says that dogs are allowed on leash on this hike. I only discovered the problem upon arrival at the obvious place to park for the hike (particulary if coming from the west side) after driving two plus hours with our dog in the car to get there. The whole point of my comment in my trail report was to alert other hikers who hike with their dog of the ridiculous problem at Tipsoo Lake and how to deal with it other than ignoring the "no pets" signs.
Posted by:
shuksan1 on Aug 29, 2022 01:56 PM
Hikeswith3 on Dewey Lake
To access this hike with a dog you need to park at Chinook Pass NOT Tipsoo Lake. You can then access the PCT from that trail head turning south. It is clearly marked on trail maps for Mount Rainier and Greentrails etc. So it is not a ridiculous problem at all. If you want to hike with a pet then it's on you to do the research.
Posted by:
Hikeswith3 on Aug 29, 2022 03:09 PM
Hikeswith3 on Dewey Lake
And not to labor the point but the trip description actually includes the same instructions re parking at Chinook Pass.
Posted by:
Hikeswith3 on Aug 29, 2022 03:12 PM
shuksan1 on Dewey Lake
Congratulations on missing my point about wanting to alert other hikers in my trail report.
Posted by:
shuksan1 on Aug 29, 2022 03:40 PM
Hikeswith3 on Dewey Lake
I didn't miss your point I corrected it. The trail up from the Tipsoo Lake is NOT part of the PCT as you seem to think - that is your error. Your confusion is because of this error, perhaps it would be better to correct your report as not allowing pets on the trail around any part of Tipsoo Lake makes complete sense.
Posted by:
Hikeswith3 on Aug 29, 2022 04:37 PM
shuksan1 on Dewey Lake
Letting hikers who want to hike to Dewey Lake with a dog know that they are not supposed to start from the Tipsoo Lake parking lot was my point and it is correct. I did know the trail up from Tipsoo Lake is not part of the PCT. That's obvious and I did not indicate it is. You misread/misinterpreted something. That's your error. Not allowing pets on the trails at Tipsoo Lake makes sense IF you know it's in the National Park. My error was not knowing that the parking lot is just inside the Park. I bet that many (maybe most) people don't know they are in the Park when they pull into that parking lot. There's nothing there indicating that it is. Hence the alert. If you read my report, I pointed out that pets are not allowed on the trails at the lake and that hikers with dogs can park at the pass. All that the WTA Dewey Lake trail description says is that dogs on leashes are allowed. Nowhere does it say not to park at Tipsoo Lake if you want to hike to Dewey Lake with a dog. Information like this for other hikers is the whole point of posting trail reports.
Posted by:
shuksan1 on Aug 29, 2022 05:28 PM
Hikeswith3 on Dewey Lake
There is a big sign board right before you enter the trail from the main parking lot with lots of Mount R NP info plus maps, I guessed you just missed it. Perhaps they do need more signage. If you are coming from points east that enormous footbridge demarks the park boundary and is labeled as such.
Posted by:
Hikeswith3 on Aug 29, 2022 07:39 PM