Lake 22 Trail

The scenic Mountain Loop Highway of Washington State is littered with many awesome hiking trails. Lake 22 is one of the many popular trails in this area with about 50,000 annual visitors.

Address

Mountain Loop Hwy, Granite Falls, WA 98252

Directions

Take Hwy 92 to Granite Falls, where it ends and becomes E Stanley Street.
Go east 0.3 miles, then turn left (north) onto N Alder Avenue.
N Alder Avenue turns into the Mountain Loop Highway.
Go 10.6 miles, enter the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. 2.1 miles past the entrance to the Forest,
Once you pass the Verlot Ranger Station on your left, it’s 3.1 miles farther to Lake 22 trailhead, on your right.
The parking area is located around a gravel loop and holds nearly 50 cars.

Verlot, WA, United States

About this trail

Difficulty level: Moderate
Distance: 5.4 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 1,350 feet
highest point: 2,400 feet.
Admission: Free
Parking: I always have a discover pass. I also made a $5.00 donation.
For the full parking pass info visit: https://www.wta.org/go-outside/passes

My Hike

My friend and I visited this trail during a busy and sunny July weekend. We arrived at the parking lot around 8:00 am. Surprisingly, there were still a few spots left. I answered the call of nature at the facility just before the park entrance, and it was adequate. We began our ascent around 8:15 am.

This trail was actually easy for me. I consider myself a beginner since I have only hiked a few trails so far. I also have a fear of heights and don’t like edges, but I was able to get through this hike with ease. Perhaps it’s the small waterfalls along the trail that put me at ease.

*_{Waterfalls like this can be found all along the trail.}*

The hardest part for me was towards the top; it was slightly rocky and fully exposed to the sun. I think if we had made our ascent an hour or two later, it probably would have been extremely hot. I was wearing shorts, a short-sleeved shirt, and packed plenty of water and snacks for the hike, as I always do.

We stopped a few times to let people pass, and halfway up the trail, I saw a relatively small garden snake. It was not longer than 2 feet. By the time I took my phone out, it had slithered away into the bushes. So we pressed on.

We arrived at the beautiful Lake 22 around 10:30. The view was amazing. We took a moment to look around, soak it all in, and take some “prooftos” (proof that I was there photos).

Shortly after that break, we continued going through the loop. The water was so clear, but it was frigid cold. However, that did not stop the few people up there who were brave enough to jump in. But that was a pass for me; it did not entice me to jump in. Instead, I continued hiking around the loop and ultimately made our way back down.

As we made our way down, about 1130 ish, clearly there are more people going up. We did see a couple of people wearing flip flops and Birkenstocks, which I don’t recommend for this particular trail.

It took me longer to walk back down than going up because I stopped more times to let people pass as they went up, and also to look around and take some photos and videos of this awe-inspiring nature.

^{@stevennevetsen}

_{stevennevetsen.com}

Tips for my next visit, or yours.

Must arrive early to start ascending by 7 AM or earlier.
Try going during the fall season just as the leaves are turning color.
Wear hiking boots. There are areas where the rocks are jagged, loose and you can easily twist and possibly break an ankle.