Blanca Lake Trail

Hwy 2 near Index. This trail leads into the Henry M Jackson Wilderness, and eventually to great vistas and Blanca Lake at 4 miles. We'll hike up some switchbacks and work on enhancing a section of tread at 2 miles in.

Round-trip to the lake is about 8 miles. You can’t ask for a better setting: A steep, switchbacking climb through forest that ends within view of the rugged cliffs of Monte Cristo, Kyes, and Columbia Peaks. At the 3 mile point, you reach 4600 feet, the highest point of the trail, and enter the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness. Virgin Lake, small and shallow, is close by amid meadows and trees. The trail then turns into more of a route and sidehills through trees, dropping 600 feet in one mile, finally reaching the 3972 foot lake at the outlet. The Columbia Glacier is 3/4 mile long and sits in the trough above deep, ice-fed Blanca Lake.

Driving directions:
Drive US Highway 2 to just west of milepost 50 (located between the town of Skykomish and the Skykomish Ranger Station). Turn north onto Beckler Road #65, toward Beckler River Campground. From US Highway 2 on FS Road #65, drive 15 miles and turn right on FS Road #63. Continue for 1.8 miles and turn left at the junction for the entrance to Blanca Lake trailhead.