Henskin Lake–Pickhandle Gap Loop, 5 saddles is a 6.8-mile loop near Snoquera, WA. The route passes Pickhandle Gap, Bear Gap and Henskin Lake. It climbs 2,065 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 84/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi4,387 – 6,359 ft · steepest grade: 27%7.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Gold Hill Road East 46.93608, -121.47416
Nearest town Snoquera, WA
Directions
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Henskin Lake–Pickhandle Gap Loop, 5 saddles
6.8 mi · ▲ 2,065 ft · 3 hr 18 min
Elevation 4,385–6,357 ft
Loop
Trailhead: Gold Hill Road East · 46.93608, -121.47416
Weather Sep 20: Clear, high 68°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:51 AM · sunset 7:09 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Gold Hill Road East, heading E.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Bullion Basin Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Chutes and Ladders, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Bullion Basin Trail, heading NE.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 0.9 miPass Pickhandle Gap.
- 1 miPass Bear Gap.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Silver Creek Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Crystal Mountain Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miPass Henskin Lake.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Henskin Lake Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.8 miBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Gold Hill Road East, heading NE.
- 50 ftThe loop closes back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
85% dirt15% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 68°F52°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV5Humidity63%
Rained 0.7″ 7 days ago
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:51 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:09 PM
Mon
65°43°
Tue
59°38°
Wed
60°36°
Thu
59°42°
59%
Fri
48°35°
69%
Sat
57°35°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~122 min). Leave by 4:47 PM for the 7:09 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:28 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Gold Hill Road East Trailhead
- Kelley's Gap Road 4.2 mi · ▲ 1,466 ft
- Henskin Lake & Henskin Lake Trail via Silver Creek Trail 4 mi · ▲ 1,199 ft
- Northway Peak–Green Valley Trail, 4 sights 7.5 mi · ▲ 2,627 ft
- Pickhandle Gap–Bear Gap, 6 sights 7.6 mi · ▲ 2,976 ft
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Hikes near Snoquera, Washington