Hiking Trip Report: Lodge Lake

Hike Date: 08-28-2018
Distance (Roundtrip): 3 miles
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Highest Point: 3500 ft
Lodge Lake Hiking Guide



My hiking trips have been few and far between lately. I'm averaging about a hike a year, but every time I head out on a trail, I'm reminded why I love hiking in the first place: the sweeping mountain views, the crisp clean air, and the trees. All of these, and more, can be found at a short and sweet hiking trail named Lodge Lake in the Snoqualmie Pass. A friend and I were looking for a lake to try some mountain fishing for the first time. In my brief research, I found out Lodge Lake is stocked with trout every few years. We decided to take some time during the week to see if we could catch any fish!

From Seattle, it took a little over an hour to drive to the trailhead. The parking lot was very easy to find, just west of the Summit at Snoqualmie ski/snowboard lodge. There is large billboard reading "Pacific Crest Trail" on the top, can't miss it. At 11am, the parking lot had only three other cars in it. The weather was sunny and clear with no smoky haze, the perfect day to hike and fish!

The trail starts off with a steady climb along forest-covered hillside just east of the trailhead. The shade from the trees towering above makes it nice and cool all along the lower part of the hike. There's only one switchback, then the trail opens up to the northern slopes of the Snoqualmie Pass ski/snowboard park.

This is where the view really opens up! Looking north across I-90, the tall mountain peaks extend east as far as the eye can see. On a clear day, the view along the trail is stunning! Above head, the chairlifts hang still. It's strange walking underneath them and seeing all the greenery, knowing it will all be covered in snow come winter.

The trail heads back into the woods as it continues to climb up to the top of the mountain. Near the top of the hill, the trail passes Beaver Lake, a small pond along the western side of the path. From here, it switches back down towards Lodge Lake, which can be seen through the cracks of the trees.

The entrance to Lodge Lake is clearly marked by a sign on a large tree. There's a little opening between a split, fallen log. A short walk past the log reveals Lodge Lake!

It took a bit of work, but we managed to make our way clockwise around the lake. All along the way, there was heavy brush, pits of mud, and fallen logs. We set up our poles and fished for a couple of hours. It started off slow, but we managed to catch two decent-sized rainbow trout for our dinner!

For a quick hike with wide-open mountain views up to a small, fishable alpine lake, Lodge Lake is a great destination! I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to try some mountain fishing!

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