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Trip Report    

CHS 1 Hike - Goat Lake (Monte Cristo)

Weekday hike to a beautiful alpine lake.

Joshua Stein Joshua Stein
July 26, 2019
  • Road recommended for high clearance only

  • The route we took to Goat Lake included the Upper and Lower Elliott Trail. The intersections were well marked and the trail was in good condition. There were some downed trees though they were easily traversed.

We parked at the Goat Lake Trailhead. The road off Mountain Loop Highway to the trailhead had numerous potholes with some of them quite deep. I'd recommend a high clearance vehicle to reduce the chance of encountering an issue. The parking lot had a sufficient number of spaces for our group. The parking lot does require a Northwest Forest Pass so don't forget to bring one.

The weather for the hike was perfect. It wasn't too hot though it did help that we were in the shade for the majority of the hike. The lake was worth the effort. There were some chipmunks at the lake to be aware of. On the way back we noticed a number of interesting fungi and mushrooms. Overall, it was an excellent hike.