Lower Crystal Lake–Upper Crystal Lake, 5 sights is an 11.8-mile out-and-back near Snoquera, WA. The route passes Bear Gap and Upper Crystal Lake before reaching Lower Crystal Lake at the turnaround, 5.9 miles in. It climbs 3,024 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 78/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi4,351 – 6,352 ft · steepest grade: 23%12.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: South Trail 46.94171, -121.47054
Nearest town Snoquera, WA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Lower Crystal Lake–Upper Crystal Lake, 5 sights
11.8 mi · ▲ 3,024 ft · 5 hr 27 min
Elevation 4,351–6,354 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: South Trail · 46.94171, -121.47054
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 68°F / low 41° · precip 1% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 5:49 AM · sunset 8:37 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on South Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Blue Bell Loop, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Bullion Basin Trail, heading E.
- 350 ftSharp right onto Silver Creek Trail, heading S.
- 2 miPass Bear Gap.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 2 miBear right onto Crystal Lakes Trail, heading S.
- 0.8 miPass Upper Crystal Lake.
- 0.7 miReach Lower Crystal Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.4 miBear left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SE.
- 2 miContinue straight onto Silver Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 2 miSharp left onto Bullion Basin Trail, heading N.
- 400 ftBear right onto Blue Bell Loop, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto South Trail, heading N.
- 350 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
98% dirt2% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 68°F41°
Precip1%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity53%
Hourly temperature
70°40°
Sunrise 5:49 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:37 PM
Tue
74°51°
Wed
82°58°
Thu
85°56°
Fri
76°51°
Sat
73°47°
Sun
74°47°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.0 mi in (~152 min). Leave by 5:45 PM for the 8:37 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:32 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from South Trail Trailhead
- Henskin Lake & Henskin Lake Trail via Silver Creek Trail 4.3 mi · ▲ 1,306 ft
- Kelley's Gap Road 5.1 mi · ▲ 1,895 ft
- Henskin Lake–Pickhandle Gap Loop, 6 sights 7 mi · ▲ 2,146 ft
- Norse Peak–Scout Pass, 4 sights 7 mi · ▲ 2,565 ft
- Basin Lake–Scout Pass, 3 saddles 8.3 mi · ▲ 2,930 ft
- Elizabeth Lake–Henskin Lake Loop, 6 sights 8.4 mi · ▲ 2,719 ft
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Hikes near Snoquera, Washington