Goat Lake
2 days ago
Fall color arriving at the lake
13 this month · 113 reports
Independence and North Lakes
North Cascades
updated 1 week ago
Independence and North Lakes trails are reported in good condition with no snow. The road to the trailhead is generally suitable for all vehicles, though some reports mention potholes or narrow sections requiring slow driving. Parking availability varies, with perpendicular parking recommended at Independence Lake to maximize space.
The trail to Independence Lake is generally easy and well-maintained. Beyond Independence Lake, the trail to North Lake becomes steeper and more rugged, with some sections becoming overgrown and requiring navigation. One notable obstacle is a downed log that requires crawling under, reported as of September 5, though other reports suggest it may have been cleared or that scrambling over it is also an option. Vegetation can be thick on the path to North Lake, making pants and long sleeves advisable. Berries, including blueberries and huckleberries, were ripe in late August and early September. Wildlife, including pikas and marmots, have been observed.
Generated from 28 trip reports. Trails change faster than reports do, so check anything you’d turn around for.
What hikers ask about Independence and North Lakes
Generated from the most recent trip reports, newest 1 week ago. Check anything you’d turn around for.
The road to the trailhead is generally suitable for all vehicles, though some reports from September 12 and August 15 mention potholes and narrow sections. It is advised to drive slowly. Parking at Independence Lake can be tight, and perpendicular parking is recommended to allow for more vehicles as of September 18.
The trail to Independence Lake is reported as being in good condition with minor obstacles. One report from September 12 mentions an obstructing log in the switchbacks, and another from September 5 notes one tree to crawl under above Independence Lake. These seem to be manageable.
The trail between Independence Lake and North Lake is significantly steeper and more rugged. Reports from September 12 and August 15 describe it as overgrown in places, requiring careful navigation. Long pants are recommended due to thick vegetation, and a downed log is a recurring obstacle mentioned in reports from September 5 and July 22.
Bugs have generally not been a significant issue. Multiple reports from September 18, September 12, and September 11 state there were no bugs or they were not bad. However, one report from August 6 described spider webs as an annoyance, and another from July 31 noted lots of bugs by the lakes.
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Trail notes generated from recent reports. Conditions change fast.
Sources
Recent1 week ago
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
Road to trailhead is in great condition. Just a note on the parking, please do not parallel park. Everytime I go here I see cars parked parallel. If everyone would park parallel it would only allow fo...
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
TL;DR great condition both on the trail and the forest road to it but no huckleberriesArrived at 9am, there were 3 other cars: one group camped at Independence lake and we crossed then on their way ba...
Recent2 weeks ago
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
Great hike for my GF's first backpacking trip. Short + has toilet. We did not continue the hike towards north lake because we didn't want to spend the time or effort, but perhaps we'll do that in the ...
Recent2 weeks ago
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
One crawl under tree above Independence, some rough terrain, but spectacular views! We could see wildfire smoke between Pugh and Glacier and smell it pretty strongly once we crested the ridge to North...
Recent4 weeks ago
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
Im surprised this isn't more popular. Did not see a soul besides our party of 6.Beginners will struggle, but the path to Independence is short. Has some of the steepest grade Ive seen in the area on...
Older1 month ago
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
Skies were hazy but air quality didn't feel bad on a Saturday afternoon. This was our first time doing this hike and it was great - exceeded expectations!The road is narrow, yes, but has a decent numb...
Older1 month ago
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
It was a little tuff for me, I'm 69 but we took frequent breaks and made it to independence Lk and back to the trail head.
Older1 month ago
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
See my previous post.
Older1 month ago
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
This was a new hike for us, one less traveled. Quiet. We saw 7 people and one dog. The road to the trailhead is narrow, with a few potholes, but not too bad. The trail is more overgrown than some, but...
Older1 month ago
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
Started the hike at around 3 and we where the only ones in the parking lot. Because of this the trail was packed with spiders and spider webs. So many webs over the trail that we had to use branches a...