Gravel Lake & Ridge Lake via Pacific Crest Trail is an 11.5-mile out-and-back near Denny Creek, WA. The route passes Ridge Lake before reaching Gravel Lake at the turnaround, 5.6 miles in. It climbs 3,311 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 33/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi3,258 – 5,476 ft · steepest grade: 26%11.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 47.43442, -121.41229
Nearest town Denny Creek, WA
Directions
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Gravel Lake & Ridge Lake via Pacific Crest Trail
11.5 mi · ▲ 3,311 ft · 5 hr 29 min
Elevation 3,259–5,475 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 47.43442, -121.41229
Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:42 PM
Dogs allowed on leash
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Old Commonwealth Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miSharp right onto Commonwealth Basin Trail, heading SE.
- 100 ftSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NE.
- 4.5 miPass Ridge Lake.
- 250 ftBear right onto Ridge Lake Camp Trail, heading N.
- 400 ftPass Gravel Lake.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 300 ftBear right, heading N.
- 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 250 ftReach Gravel Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 250 ftBear left, heading W.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 4.6 miSharp right onto Commonwealth Basin Trail, heading SW.
- 100 ftSharp left onto Old Commonwealth Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
87% dirt13% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:29 AMSunset 7:42 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.4 mi in (~137 min). Leave by 5:05 PM for the 7:42 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:21 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Pacific Crest Trail 3.1 mi · ▲ 942 ft
- Red Pond via Commonwealth Basin Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 1,592 ft
- Commonwealth Basin Trail & Old Commonwealth Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 1,212 ft
- The Fang–Source Lake, 7 sights 9.9 mi · ▲ 4,742 ft
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