Windy Lake–Mount Townsend Trail #839, 5 sights is a 14.6-mile out-and-back in Buckhorn Wilderness near Leland, WA. The route reaches Windy Lake. It climbs 4,735 ft, with sections as steep as 32% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 92/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi2,832 – 5,653 ft · steepest grade: 32%14.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Mount Townsend Lower Trailhead 47.85821, -123.01836
Nearest town Leland, WA · Official trailhead info (fs.usda.gov)
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Windy Lake–Mount Townsend Trail #839, 5 sights
14.6 mi · ▲ 4,735 ft · 7 hr 14 min
Elevation 2,832–5,653 ft
Out & Back · Buckhorn Wilderness
Trailhead: Mount Townsend Lower Trailhead · 47.85821, -123.01836
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:53 AM · sunset 8:44 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Mount Townsend Trail #839, heading W.
- 3.4 miPass Windy Lake.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Silver Lakes Trail #842, heading W.
- 1.6 miSharp right onto Silver Lake Way Trail, heading SW.
- 1.7 miTurn left onto Old Silver Lake Way Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miReach Windy Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Silver Lake Way Trail, heading E.
- 1.7 miSharp left onto Silver Lakes Trail #842, heading S.
- 1.6 miContinue straight onto Mount Townsend Trail #839, heading NE.
- 3.7 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
100% dirt
Weather
Sunrise 5:53 AMSunset 8:44 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.2 mi in (~186 min). Leave by 5:18 PM for the 8:44 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Mount Townsend Lower Trailhead Trailhead
- Mount Townsend-North Peak–Mount Townsend, 4 summits 10.2 mi · ▲ 3,591 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Leland, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Leland, Washington