Three Peaks Trail to Lost Lake is a 11.1 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Packwood, Washington that features a great forest setting and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from May until October.
Started at the Three Peaks Trailhead and headed to Lost Lake, then return. Makes for a long tiring day. Do as an overnighter or allow plenty of time.
January 5, 2021lp
October 5, 2020The trail was overgrown with lots of fallen limbs to traverse making it difficult to follow at times. The road to the trail head was riddled with pot holes. Navigation will try to take you right on a side road, but stay on the main road and it will take you directly to the grassy parking lot. The views were gorgeous to Lost Lake, though the compromise to this low trafficked trail is less upkeep. The Packwood trail seems to be the preferred route to take to Lost Lake.
July 11, 2020This trail is overgrown in several spots with no water sources until you get to Lost Lake. Quite a few blow downs along the route and a couple odd turns that I had to figure out. There is still snow at the lake but plenty of spots to set up camp. All that said...definitely worth the trip to see the scenery.
July 9, 2020This trail is overgrown in places and riddled with blow downs throughout but it's certainly navigable. There was a good parking spot at the end of the forest road and the trailhead is easy to find (FYI, the directions will tell you to make a right turn off the forest rd...don't. just keep on the main gravel rd). This is not a hike you want to take children on but if you want some of the best views you'll ever see, I recommend it.
May 18, 2019Thought I’d try this hike as a short cut to Lost Lake, but there would be no way I’d ever come back and do this hike again with my friends, family, etc. very rough and towards the end lots of rocks to have to navigate over and with a pack on would be dangerous to getting hurt. Not too many hike this as others shared as lots of blow down and also lots of shrubs as you hike in spots. The view is beautiful for sure, that is true! I got close to the trail that connects to Lost lake to the left or to the right back down to Packwood Lake, but again stopped at the rock area as thought no way did I want to get hurt being solo out here and decided I would never bring anyone this way. Better off hiking from Packwood Lake trail to do the 5 miles in to Packwood Lake and to the trailhead to Lost! Take a break and then hit the Lost Lake trail! The first 1.5 miles is about 2,000’ up so pace yourself and total about a 10 mile hike in to Lost Lake but start early and you’ll make it!
September 23, 2018The road in isn’t to bad other than a few potholes and a couple trees that had fallen across the road. Glad I had an axe in the truck or I’d probably gone back to camp. If you like a trail that just starts going up from the start then this is for you. Can tell it’s not hiked on or maintained much. Lots of blow downs and many portions of the trail are growing over with trees, ferns and huckleberries. Mother Nature must have ignored the weather report as I got near the lake it started to rain harder than forecasted. Expected to get a little wet but with the overgrown trail, I got soaked thru all my waterproof gear. The lake was very nice but decided to head back shortly after my arrival as the weather was getting nasty. Even though I was wet, cold and tired I found a lot of enjoyment scaling the blow downs on the way back. Can see why most people hike to lost lake via Packwood Lake trail.
June 7, 2015
First to ReviewThis hike was a solo out/back from the Three Peaks TH to Lost Lake and back for a total of 14 miles in 9 hrs, counting stops. The road to the trailhead narrows considerably at the trailhead and there is limited parking. Lower clearance vehicles may have to park below the trailhead to avoid a washed out area. What can you say about this trail? Steep and blow downs, although after the first elevation gain, you find yourself cursing along a forested ridge top and wonder where the blow downs are. Views come sparaticly and they don’t disappoint and get even better as you get closer to the Packwood Lake trail or at Lost Lake. The blow downs are in the mile before the Three Peaks trail/Packwood Lake trail 78 junction. Three Peaks Trail is steep right from the get-go. Early on you start hiking on an overgrown road. A cairn marks where the trail leaves the road. The grassy road continues and looks fairly well used. Follow the cairn to continue on Three Peaks trail. Follow the road on a gentle arc opening up to a 180 degree view of Mt. Rainier. However, the road ends after a bit and a short scramble trail that meets Three Peaks trail (near the end of the road) is easily missed. Once back on Three Peaks trail, turn left and go up. After cursing the ridge top there is a steep downhill into a younger growth forest where some places are overgrown. From there it’s a steady uphill hike to Lost Lake. Views of Beargrass Butte are visible half-way to Packwood Lake trail. There are no water sources (this year anyway) on Three Peaks trail so plan accordingly. Lost Lake is clear and beautiful and no snow on the lake. There is some snow on a few of the surrounding shaded slops entering the lake, but nothing to worry about. This is in sharp contrast to last year. A couple at the lake who were there last year at this time said there were feet of snow and it was difficult to find the trail. Ridges around the lake are beautiful with Packwood Lake trail following them. I must admit, the way back was much easier and didn’t take as long. Even the blow downs seemed easier to navigate. Granted most of the way back is downhill with a couple good elevation gains. All and all if you want to go to Lost Lake, Starting at Packwood Lake would be much easier. Doing this hike as an out/back takes all day. When I do it again, it will be an overnighter at Lost Lake with day hikes along the ridges above Lost Lake.
August 15, 2020July 27, 2020June 6, 2015
