Our group decided to try a different route from the last time we hiked this area. We parked at the overlook at the end of Cleator Road and took the Rock Trail southwest from the lot. Descending the several sets of steep stairs and hiking along the impressive sandstone outcrops, we followed this trail down to the Lost Lake Trail. We took the Lost Lake Trail, with a side trip to and around Fragrance Lake, back up to Cleator Road and then followed it to the parking lot. My tracking app showed a total distance of 5.7 miles.
This is definitely an impressive trail, traversing underneath towering sandstone walls in a lush green forest with ferns, some wildflowers, moss-covered trees....all mixed into an emerald green trailscape. Two of us in the group are geologists and I have to admit that we stopped several times to admire the ancient history written into the sandstone outcrops. An interesting feature in those bluffs is the occurrence of solution cavities (large holes in the rock face often called tafoni), some several feet across.
The trail is in good shape and has enough moderately steep ascents and descents to provide a good workout. Wildflowers in bloom right now include Pacific bleeding heart, candy flower, false soloman's seal, large-leaved avens and a few trillium. Fragrance Lake is nice, quiet and shady place for lunch.
Bugs, mostly gnats but some mosquitos, were bad at the parking lot and were annoying at various points along the trails. Have seen much worse but they were still annoying.
This is a nice area with lots of route options for exploring it and is a nice representation of the forests that hug the Puget Sound. We encountered several other groups of hikers during the hike, for a total of perhaps a dozen and a half or so. The parking lot at the Cleator Road overlook will accommodate about 25 cars and there is a toilet.
If interested in more photos and some route maps, checkout the video link below.
Comments
PNW-vera on Larrabee State Park - Rock Trail
Which trail did you take from lost lake to fragrance lake?
Posted by:
PNW-vera on May 18, 2023 04:49 PM
seabeav on Larrabee State Park - Rock Trail
We didn't actually go to Lost Lake. We followed the Rock Creek Trail to its junction with the Lost Lake Trail which we stayed on to the junction with Cleator Road, after a trip out to Fragrance Lake and back. We only went to Fragrance Lake on this hike.
Posted by:
seabeav on May 18, 2023 10:35 PM
thebrink on Larrabee State Park - Rock Trail
Nice loop you guys made.
Posted by:
thebrink on May 19, 2023 10:14 AM