Colchuck Lake
Central Cascades
As of late July 2026, Colchuck Lake is snow-free and beautiful, but expect challenging conditions due to high traffic and trail issues. The forest road to the trailhead remains dusty with significant potholes, requiring slow driving, even for sedans (reports from July 25, July 10, July 9, July 8, July 3, June 24). Parking fills extremely early, often by 5:30 AM on weekends, with cars spilling onto the road (reports from July 25, July 9, July 8, June 27, June 24).
The trail itself is in good condition but heavily trafficked. Significant amounts of trash, including used toilet paper, have been reported (July 26). Hikers note the trail is strenuous, with steep inclines and large steps, especially in the last two miles (July 17, July 8). Many visitors appear unprepared for the difficulty and terrain, leading to safety concerns (July 8, June 23). Be prepared for a busy, at times noisy, experience, and consider weekday visits for potentially fewer crowds (July 10, July 3, June 27). A ring was found near the parking lot on July 29.
generated from 66 reports
Sources
Ring Found!!! on lower trail less than a mile from the parking lot. Contact 360-402-0672 if lost.
This review is to remind others of the importance of wilderness ethics and to practice leave no trace.My friend and I hiked this on Sunday and I am appalled about the condition that the entire trail w...
Arrived at the trailhead around 5:30 am on Saturday, and the main parking area was already full. There were quite a few cars parked along the road, including some that appeared to be in signed no-park...
The lake is worth it.If you're not a regular, alpine hiker or you don't have some mountain goat in your DNA, the elevation gain will be challenging. I read reports that said the 2nd half is difficult....
Early start to photograph the lake at close to sunrise. I was on the trail by 545am so plenty of parking available and the road seemed pretty much normal in terms of potholes which could be sporty of...
I arrived at the trailhead around 7am and there were at least a dozen cars there. Drive slowly! The potholes are real and it can be difficult to see them in the shadows.As others have said, this is a ...
Arrived at the parking lot 8 AM and found several spots still available in the main lot. Didn't see too many people on my climb up to the lake and temps were still pretty cool which made for enjoyable...
I found hiking poles incredibly helpful on this hike. The last 2 miles of the hike has a lot of large steps (knee high and many higher). The trail is heavily used and everyone appears surprised by t...
Warning- the forest road has very deep potholes. If you have the ability to take a vehicle with high clearance you will be happier.This hike is not 8 miles. At minimum it’s 9, and that’s IF you are lu...
Not much has changed on the trail since the last reports but wanted to give another thanks to whoever was able to remove all of the downed trees on the trail. The weather today was great and the lake ...
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