#2 - Blue Lake Trail
Okanogan-Wenatchee National ForestLength: 4.6 mi • Est. 1 h 51 m
A moderately easy and extremely beautiful hike through subalpine forest to an iridescent blue lake with water as clear as gin. Sit and watch the native cutthroat trout feed as you sit atop one of many boulders that line the lake's banks.
Like so many trails like it along the North Cascades Highway, Blue Lake is brimming with majesty. Dense old growth forest butts against new growth of the last century. These trees line your path for the majority of the walk, occasionally opening just enough to reveal prominent landmarks like Liberty Bell and Winter Spires from unique angles. Once at the end of the trail you are welcomed by a subalpine lake feeding a creek all powered by glaciers and run-off water.
As you pass the creek's head, you'll notice the remnants of a sunken old beaver dam and water-logged branches six or seven inches below the surface before it bottlenecks into the creek. Look closer and you'll see dozens of wild native Cutthroat in the 6-9 inch range darting for food, trapped between the logs upstream and the long bumpy ride downstream. The lake has a trail along its bank on one side.
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