AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Views from Crystal Mountain (28 January 2025) 2.jpg
Buidhe · CC BY-SA 4.0

Elizabeth Lake–Henskin Lake, 5 sights

15.8 mi · ▲ 4,171 ft · 7 hr 21 min

Elizabeth Lake–Henskin Lake, 5 sights is a 15.8-mile out-and-back near Snoquera, WA. The route passes Elizabeth Lake before reaching Henskin Lake at the turnaround, 7.8 miles in. It climbs 4,171 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade. It scores 80/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi3,885 – 6,788 ft · steepest grade: 20%16.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Sand Flats Trailhead 46.96183, -121.48349
Nearest town Snoquera, WA
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Elizabeth Lake–Henskin Lake, 5 sights

15.8 mi · ▲ 4,171 ft · 7 hr 21 min

Elevation 3,884–6,787 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Sand Flats Trailhead · 46.96183, -121.48349

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 64°F / low 41° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 5:49 AM · sunset 8:37 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Northway Trail, heading NW.
  2. 3 miTurn left, heading S.
  3. 1.6 miTurn right, heading SE.
  4. 1 miBear right onto Crystal Mountain Trail, heading S.
  5. 1.4 miPass Elizabeth Lake.
  6. 0.9 miPass Henskin Lake.
  7. 250 ftContinue straight onto Henskin Lake Trail, heading S.
  8. 50 ftBear left onto Crystal Mountain Trail, heading S.
  9. 50 ftContinue straight onto Henskin Lake Trail, heading SE.
  10. 150 ftReach Elizabeth Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 150 ftContinue straight onto Crystal Mountain Trail, heading NE.
  12. 50 ftBear right onto Henskin Lake Trail, heading NE.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto Crystal Mountain Trail, heading NE.
  14. 2.4 miBear left, heading N.
  15. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Northway Trail, heading N.
  16. 0.7 miTurn right, heading N.
  17. 4.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/elizabeth-lake-elizabeth-lake-out-back-4-lakes-26-km

Trail surface

4% dirt96% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 64°F41°
Precip0%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity74%
Hourly temperature
65°40°
Sunrise 5:49 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:37 PM
Tue 74°55°
Wed 82°59°
Thu 87°57°
Fri 77°52°
Sat 75°49°
Sun 75°48°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.6 mi in (~190 min). Leave by 5:08 PM for the 8:37 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:44 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Sand Flats Trailhead Trailhead

Hikes near Snoquera, Washington