Dewey Lake, Naches Peak Loop & Pacific Crest Trail

Easy to strenuous hiking and backpacking trips from Chinook Pass south on the Naches Peak Loop and Pacific Crest Trails. Enjoy splendid views of Mount Rainier and alpine wildflower meadows, forests and lakes. Lakes from north to south include Dewey Lake, Anderson Lake, American Lake and Cougar Lake. A 20-mile, one-way trip from Chinook Pass to and out Laughingwater Creek or loop with Union Creek and American Ridge are two other great options.

getting there

Drive US-410 to the trailhead at Tipsoo Lake about a half mile south of Chinook Pass.

on the trail

Hike the Naches Peak Loop Trail from the trailhead on US-410 at Tipsoo Lake near Chinook Pass until it meets the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).  Turn left to loop back on the PCT or turn right to head south on the PCT towards any of several lakes that are great camps.

Naches Peak Loop

3.4-mile loop with 500 feet of elevation gain

This is a spectacular, easy, and popular alpine hike, which starts on the Cascade crest and the PCT at Chinook Pass (5,400 ft).  If the hike is done in the clockwise direction, Mount Rainier will be in view for the latter part of the hike. Snow lingers late on the east side of the peak and the trail there may not be accessible until late July or even early August, or not at all in some years.   This hike features splendid wildflower meadows from mid-July to mid-August, tarns, a waterfall, and in the fall, crimson huckleberry bushes in profusion. As you round the peak there are views of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and the Goat Rocks as well as Tipsoo Lake and Yakima peak near the pass.

Dewey Lake

6 miles round trip* with 900 feet of elevation gain (it's 2.1 miles around the lake)

Anderson Lake

10 miles round trip* with 1,000 feet of elevation gain

American Lake

14 miles round trip* with 1,000 feet of elevation gain (it's ~0.5 mile east from the PCT)

Cougar Lake

19 miles round trip* with 1,600 feet of elevation gain

Laughingwater Creek

23.4 miles one-way with 2,600 feet of elevation gain

A one-way southbound trek on the PCT for fit and adventurous day hikers. Starting from Chinook Pass, travel along Mount Rainier National Park's eastern edge past multiple lakes and wildflower-filled meadows and along ridges with views into nearby valleys. Exit via the Laughingwater Creek trail which ends at SR-123 just south of the Rainier Nation Park Stevens Canyon entrance. A car shuttle is required.

Union Creek–Chinook Pass–American Ridge Loop

35-mile loop with 6,400 feet of elevation gain

* Returning via the PCT (the eastern half of Naches Peak Loop) adds ~0.6 miles but no elevation gain.

notes

  • Out-of-Print Guidebook Reference: Day Hiking Snoqualmie Region​ by Dan A. Nelson (The Mountaineers Books 2007), the first edition of this guidebook.

Information for Leaders

Scheduling & Permits

  • This route allows multiple bookings. Please check scheduled trips listed below in the "Activities" tab to see if there is another group already booked on the same day. If so, please coordinate with them to ensure you are carpooling, hiking, and camping at different areas. And please limit the the total capacity of all trips scheduled on the same day to 12, the Maximum Route/Place Capacity (e.g. one group of  12, two groups of six).

  • Suitable Activities: Backpacking, Day Hiking
  • Seasons: July, August, September, October
  • Weather: View weather forecast
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Length: 6.0 mi
  • Elevation Gain: 900 ft
  • 5,800 ft
Map
  • Green Trails Bumping Lake No. 271
  • Green Trails Mt Rainier East No. 270
  • Green Trails Mount Rainier Wonderland No. 269SX
Activities
Trip Reports
Titles

This is a list of titles that represent the variations of trips you can take at this route/place. This includes side trips, extensions and peak combinations. Not seeing a title that fits your trip? Log in and send us updates, images, or resources.

  • Naches Peak Loop
  • Chinook Pass to Anderson Lake
  • Anderson Lake via Naches Peak Loop
  • Chinook Pass to American Lake
  • American Lake via Naches Peak Loop
  • Chinook Pass to Cougar Lake
  • Cougar Lake via Naches Peak Loop
  • Dewey Lake
  • Dewey Lake via Naches Peak Loop
  • Chinook Pass to Laughingwater Creek
  • Cougar Lakes & Three Lakes
  • Pacific Crest Trail: Chinook Pass to Laughingwater Creek
  • Chinook Pass-American Ridge Loop
  • Union Creek-Chinook Pass-American Ridge Loop
  • Tipsoo Lake
Resources

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