Sourdough Gap (past Sheep Lake) is a 6.7 mile out and back trail located near Enumclaw, Washington that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking and walking and is best used from July until October.
hiking
walking
forest
lake
views
wild flowers
wildlife
no dogs
Trail is in good condition. Expected crowds at parking area, along the trail and at the lake. Lots of friendly dogs to greet our dog (most on leash). Not too many bugs. Wildflowers are in full bloom. Try to avoid the weekend if you can.
Trail was in good condition, I wish I was. Weather was perfect, no wind, light clouds, temps mild. Trail can branch off in places but if you stay on the well traveled path you will not stray. There are nice views from this trail but I reached the ridge near midday and the noon sun tends to wash out the colors. I was hoping for some good fall colors but there was little. Most of the flowers were gone and there was a decaying stench on the lower portion of the trail. Crowds were low but present. There were a lot of dogs and even one puppy. Trail starts out fairly level almost to Sheep Lake then starts to climb to Sourdough Gap on a mild slope. All in all, an easy trail. To see Rainier and Crystal Lake, you have to hike to the next ridge which is a short distance and a little beyond. I was anticipating the lake at the first ridge. Once you get to the second ridge, Mount Rainier will be to the extreme left obscured by the trees. Continue along the trail into the park and you will be rewarded with beautiful views of Crystal Lake and Mount Rainier.
Loved it. Very gradual climb. The views are unbelievable.
always a great hike
Nice morning hike from sheep lake
Hiked in a couple months ago. No bugs but a bit windy at times...I'm a big guy so it helped to cool me off but if you run cold, you may wanna bring a windbreaker during the early months of summer. Great views after Sheep Lake and Before Crystal Lake. It was a steady climb to the top so nothing to really worry about. Take your time and you'll get some awesome views to talk about when you get home. Happy hiking.
06/12/15 - Friday - Beautiful day at the lake. No snow. No bugs (that bite). Very few people all day. We took the hike up to Sourdough Gap and found the weather very different. The wind was strong and cold. It was nice returning to the lake after that.
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08/17/2014, Sunday - The parking lots were full by the time I arrived at noon so I had to park on the side of the road with the rest of the late-comers. Hiked to Sheep Lake where I found ~20 others. It didn't seem crowded, but you could hear the activity of people around, so it wasn't the relaxing atmosphere I was looking for. Continued on to Sourdough Gap with it's incredible valley views. Took a side detour to Crystal Lake, then kept going to Bear Gap overlooking Crystal Mountain Resort. That's a five mile trip. By the time I returned to Sourdough Gap there was nobody around and I sat for 20 minutes or so with the sun on my back and the valley in front. I even spotted a mountain goat at the top of a peak. Passed very few people on the way back to the truck. There were some flies, but no mosquitos bothered me. Wear nothing with fragrance and you'll be ok typically. I even crossed paths with two young girls headed to Canada. I always enjoy running into through-hikers on the PCT. That's so impressive to me.
More on my hiking blog at cairnguru.com
We only planned to hike to Sheep Lake, but once we got there we hiked to the very top to Sourdough Gap. Incredible views of the Cascades and of course Sheep Lake.
We hiked in Early July and there was still some snow cover throughout. It didn't make it difficult, it just made some parts extremely wet/muddy.
one of my favs, a bit snowy (understatement)but made it to the lake and saw bear tracks in the snow!
Fantastic, relaxing place. Good pack trip for beginners , beautiful scenery