Summit Lake–Summit Lake Viewpoint, 4 beaches is a 5-mile out-and-back in Clearwater Wilderness near Upper Mill, WA. The route passes Clearwater Wilderness Beach, Summit Lake and Summit Lake before reaching Summit Lake Viewpoint at the turnaround, 2.5 miles in. It climbs 1,681 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade. It scores 95/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi4,771 – 5,716 ft · steepest grade: 27%5.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Clearwater Trail 47.06834, -121.84590
Nearest town Upper Mill, WA
Directions
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Summit Lake–Summit Lake Viewpoint, 4 beaches
5 mi · ▲ 1,681 ft · 2 hr 30 min
Elevation 4,772–5,716 ft
Out & Back · Clearwater Wilderness
Trailhead: Clearwater Trail · 47.06834, -121.84590
Weather Aug 3: Fog, high 57°F / low 37° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 5:50 AM · sunset 8:39 PM
- Start on Clearwater Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Clearwater to Summit Lake, heading SE.
- 1.7 miPass Clearwater Wilderness Beach.
- 50 ftPass Summit Lake.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Summit Lake Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 450 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftReach Summit Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftPass Summit Lake Viewpoint.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Clearwater to Summit Lake, heading NE.
- 1.7 miTurn left onto Clearwater Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 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
30% dirt70% unspecified
Weather
FogTemperature 57°F37°
Precip0%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity78%
Rained 0.1″ 2 days ago
Hourly temperature
60°35°
Sunrise 5:50 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:39 PM
Tue
66°51°
Wed
73°55°
Thu
74°52°
Fri
67°46°
Sat
65°44°
Sun
67°43°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~19 min). Leave by 8:00 PM for the 8:39 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:07 PM — 7 min before dark.
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Clearwater Trail Trailhead
- Clearwater Trail Loop 3.8 mi · ▲ 686 ft
- Summit Lake–Clearwater Wilderness Beach, 3 beaches 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,512 ft
- Summit Lake Viewpoint–Summit Lake, 5 sights 5.3 mi · ▲ 1,744 ft
- Clearwater Trail 15.6 mi · ▲ 5,574 ft
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Hikes near Upper Mill, Washington