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Independence Lake

Backcountry Response Team

Thu Jul 9, 2026 8:30 AM — Sun Jul 12, 2026 3:30 PM

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Region

North Cascades — Mountain Loop Highway - Verlot

Crew Leader: WTA Chief Crew Leader

Pretty little North Lake on a bluebird Day. Photo by trip reporter muk.

Overview

Join us on the peaceful Independence Lake trail to enjoy some of the North Cascades most accessible and beautiful terrain. Work will include annual maintenance like clearing downed trees, encroaching vegetation, digging drains, and rebuilding the trail tread.

About the Area

This destination is all about the search for solitude in the often crazy and busy South Fork Stillaguamish River valley. The trail leads to not one, but two alpine lakes. The first, Independence, is less than a mile-long hike and makes for a great first backpack for kids. The second, more difficult to reach, is North Lake, an additional 2.2 miles up the trail.

What to Expect

We'll have fun, work hard and make a difference! No experience is necessary.

Project Description

Project work will include cutting back overgrown foliage, clearing downed trees, and improving the trail from years of hikers feet impacting it.

Camping and Hiking Information

Type: Backcountry basecamp

Location: Independence Lake, about 1 mile from the trailhead.

Weather: Be prepared for variable conditions including heat, cold, wind and rain

The hike to camp is 2 miles over moderately steep terrain. Our hike to the project site is expected to be 2-4 miles roundtrip over moderately steep to steep terrain.

Schedule

  • Day 1: Meet the crew rain or shine, then hike in, begin work on the project and set up camp
  • Day 2+: Make breakfast and pack a lunch before heading out on trail with the crew by 8:00 AM. Work at your own pace, take plenty of breaks and enjoy lunch on the trail. Arrive back in camp by 4:00 or 5:00 PM for a relaxing evening. Prepare your own dinner and swap stories with the crew.
  • Final Day: Break down camp, finish trail project, hike out and say goodbye to the crew at the trailhead

For safety reasons, arriving late or leaving early is not allowed.

Planning Information

Get ready for a great day outside!

What it Takes to Do This Work Party

  • A great attitude for working with a team! WTA provides the training and tools you need for the project
  • Backpacking gear and food for multiple nights on the trail
  • Good physical condition to hike with a fully-loaded backpack and be physically active for about 8-9 hours daily on uneven terrain 
  • Backpacking experience including the ability to run your own camp following Leave No Trace principles
  • Day work party experience recommended
  • Flexibility to adapt to changes due to unpredictable weather or land manager requests
  • Minimum age: 18


What to Bring

Required:

  • Sturdy closed-toe shoes
  • Work gloves
  • Eye protection (glasses, sunglasses, or safety glasses)
  • Long pants

Recommended:

  • Sturdy work or hiking boots
  • Long sleeved shirt

A hard hat will be provided by WTA if you do not already have a WTA provided hard hat. Additionally, work gloves and eye protection will be provided by WTA if you do not have your own, but when possible we recommend bringing your own. For safety reasons, certain tasks may be assigned based on the safety level of your footwear. Volunteers who do not have long pants, or sturdy closed toes shoes, will not be able to participate in the work party.

In addition to items listed above, bring the following backpacking gear:

  • WTA hard hat
  • Work gloves
  • Backpack to carry all of your gear
  • Tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad
  • Cooking gear and enough food (plus a little extra) for the entire trip
  • At least two 1-liter water bottles and a way to purify your water
  • Rain jacket and rain pants
  • Extra warm clothing
  • Camp clothing such as shorts, shirt and sandals
  • Sun and bug protection
  • Headlamp and extra batteries
  • Personal items such as medication, hand sanitizer and toiletries
  • ​First aid kit
  • A sense of fun and adventure for learning new skills and meeting great people!

A hard hat will be provided by WTA if you do not already have a WTA provided hard hat. Additionally, work gloves and eye protection will be provided by WTA if you do not have your own, but when possible we recommend bringing your own.

More Information


From the Hiking Guide

See what WTA's hiking guide and trip reports say about this area.

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Partners

Directions

From Seattle, drive north on I-5 to Everett and take exit 194 onto US 2. Drive 2 miles east on US 2 to Highway 204, which exits to the left (north). Follow Highway 204 to Highway 9. Turn left (north) on Highway 9 and follow it just past Lake Stevens to Highway 92. Turn right and follow Highway 92 eight miles to Granite Falls. At the end of town, turn left (north) onto the Mountain Loop Highway. (It is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes to this point). Continue on the Mountain Loop Highway until the Verlot Public Service Center, and then keep going for an additional 15 miles. Turn left (north) onto the Coal Lake Road 4060, just before the Perry Creek bridge, and continue 4.8 miles to the trailhead at the end of the road.

Note: Please follow the written directions above instead of using a GPS device. This will ensure that you get to the correct meeting location for this work party. The location of the pinpoint below is only approximate.

Getting to WTA work parties can involve travel on rough, unpaved roads in areas without cellular service and without street addresses that can be accurately used by navigation devices. Unless specifically noted otherwise, routes can generally be traveled by all types of vehicles. Volunteers with limited experience driving on unpaved mountain roads may want to allow extra time, beyond what is recommended in the directions above, to get to the meeting location.

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