As a much shorter day hike skipping Sheep Lake and Cispus Pass or even an add-on spur, you could turn left (N) on the brief trail at the juncture on the saddle and ridge (unsigned) over the small downed pine onto the clear path ½ mi winding up to the old lookout site on Nannie Peak (6106 ft). There is a great shot of Mount Adams with Mount Rainier sneaking in and Goat Rocks can be seen best from the viewpoint just N of the lookout site.
For the main route, traverse steadily down the wider Trail 98 losing about 200 ft in elevation around the E side of Nannie Peak heading N under a huge sheer rock wall. Pass left of a small pond in a partial clearing with nice reflections and possibly some campers. Hike a couple steeper switchbacks into the woods again and continue traversing to meet the main ridge momentarily. Look SW back to Nannie Peak and Mount Adams. Hike steeply and briefly up the wide ridge section with even more wildflowers working in and the Goat Rocks coming into sight, especially Ives Peak and Gilbert Peak, then walk easier down the meadow and ridge to the bright green Sheep Lake. The astute will notice the top of Old Snowy Mountain left of Ives Peak. It’s about 2¼ mi and an hour to the lake from the Nannie Peak saddle and it’s 2 mi and 1½ hours more to Cispus Pass. Hang at the lake and return the same way or continue to the goods including mountain goats at times near the pass.
Wildflowers, including intensely red paintbrush, to Cispus Pass in Goat Rocks.
Green is the theme from Sheep Lake, a worthwhile destination for many families.
Directly above Sheep Lake you begin choking on various wildflowers such as lupine and paintbrush ¼ mi N up to the PCT intersection. Fork left (N) on the PCT a mile on an easy traverse up the left (W) side of the ridgeline in and out of the trees with a great look at the enormous gendarme on the ridge ahead from the colorful hillside. From the next saddle on the ridge you reach Klickitat Basin and can see the remainder of the route up the right (E) side of the ridge. The trail becomes dusty and rocky the last mile as the landscape thrills passersby every time.
You will most likely have to traverse lingering snowfields between wildflowers through August (earlier may require traction devices) and will have your best views of Ives Peak left and Gilbert Peak to the right. Between the two summits, the prominent jagged centerpiece holds such named high points as Goat Citadel, Big Horn, and Black Thumb. Big Horn is actually the second highest summit on the ridge being the pinnacle just W of Gilbert Peak and there is a lesser high point between Big Horn and Ives Peak simply called Peak 7478. E of Ives Peak is Tieton Peak, Devil’s Horn, and Bear Creek Mountain.
Finish with a couple switchbacks to the usually very windy Cispus Pass and cherish the views of two wonderful basins simultaneously before returning down to Walupt Lake. Or better yet turn left (S) from the tiny pass area steeply up the scree-covered ridge path a hundred yards or so for more solitude and the premier overlook of the day. See another path on the other side of the pass and the continuation of the PCT traveling through Cispus Basin to Snowgrass Flats en route to its second highest point in Washington (7000 ft) N of Old Snowy Mountain.
| 19 | GOAT LAKE LOOP TO HAWKEYE POINT |
ELEVATION: 7431 ft; 6650 ft without the summit; with vertical gains of 3281 ft, and 2500 ft for Goat Lake loop alone
DISTANCE: 6¾ mi from Berry Patch TH (5½ mi to the high intersection with Lily Basin Trail, plus ½ mi from Snowgrass Flats TH), 16½ mi clockwise loop including the summit; 14 mi clockwise loop without the summit
DURATION: 3–4 hours directly up Goat Ridge Trail, 8–10 hours round-trip loop; 7–9 hours round-trip loop without the summit
DIFFICULTY: Very challenging. Steady trails, mosquitoes July into August, few steeps, well signed, obvious, fairly long, steeper summit block with snow/ice crossing okay without special gear in late summer, mountain goat encounters possible
TRIP REPORT: Most people camp at various locations throughout Goat Rocks Wilderness including at the THs, but several day hikes surrounding this one prove it’s not necessary for those in good shape getting an early start! The Snowgrass Trail to Snowgrass Flats is fairly crowded on summer weekends because of the camping options there and the short season. Northwest Forest Pass required at both THs, and an outhouse is located at Berry Patch TH.
TRAILHEAD: Snowgrass Flats TH or Berry Patch TH. Take I-5 N from Portland to exit 68 (Morton/Yakima), turn right on US-12 E 60 mi passing Morton and Randle, turn right (S) at milepost 128 on washboard gravel FR-21 (2 mi W of Packwood) 13 mi staying on main wide road. Fork left on FR-2150 for 3 mi, ignore the left turn down to Chambers Lake, and then either turn right more than ¼ mi on FR-405 to Snowgrass Flats TH or continue straight more than ¼ mi to Berry Patch TH, both with ample parking. From Seattle, take I-5 S to exit 142A (Auburn), merge onto WA-18 E, exit for WA-164 E (Enumclaw), turn left on WA-164 E 14 mi, turn left on WA-410 E (Chinook Pass Highway) 40 mi, turn slight right onto WA-123 S 16 mi, turn right on US-12 W 10 mi, turn left (S) on FR-21 and follow like above (155 mi, 2½–3 hours from Portland; 125 mi, 3½ hours from Seattle).
ROUTE: For the big clockwise loop from Snowgrass Flats TH, take Snowgrass Spur Trail 96A past a small lake briefly and turn left (W) on Trail 96 for ½ mi to Berry Patch TH (for Hawkeye Point and Goat Lake directly begin from Berry Patch TH). Turn right on Goat Ridge Trail 95 steeply N 1½ mi toward Goat Ridge and Jordan Basin through the forest. Pass Trail 95A on the left (moves around the cliffy W side of the ridge more than a mile to meet the main trail again) and hike ¾ mi up through meadows E of the ridge to the juncture on the ridgeline.
The spectacular wildflower display in late August under Hawkeye Point en route to Goat Lake.
Continue N on the W side of Goat Ridge almost ½ mi passing Jordan Creek Trail 94 on the left. Traverse up steadily, but never too steep, less than 3 mi more to the high intersection with Lily Basin Trail, passing through the top of the stunningly picturesque Jordan Basin en route to the ridge saddle. See Hawkeye Point ahead as the views are somewhat underrated on this side of the loop. There are open meadows littered with dazzling wildflowers along Jordan Creek (camp spots), waterfalls, ponds, grasses, wildlife, and then the final push easily to the intersection with Lily Basin Trail 86.
See Old Snowy to Gilbert Peak SE across the vast valley belonging to Goat Creek; you’ll be descending to the right on Trail 86 for the clockwise loop, but leave Trail 85 to continue on Trail 86 up the ridge ½ mi N to the junction with the summit spur path on the right for Hawkeye Point. Look S to Mount Adams standing impressively behind Goat Ridge with Mount Rainier past the ridge to Johnson Peak. Lily Basin Trail continues NW for several miles, but follow the spur instead ¾ mi NNE along the wide-open treeless ridge to the top as the trail becomes a bit steeper and rockier after cautiously crossing a lingering snowfield in a little saddle. Pick a safe angle past the snow/ice as a very steep wall remains most times of the year. See the vibrant Goat Lake below, which may be partly frozen until late August or even September, and take in the wonder from the boulder-topped peak before moving on!
Old Snowy Mountain reflects into a small pond below Snowgrass Flats.
From the main intersection at the saddle with the Goat Ridge Trail, walk left (NE) for the loop