Overnight Trip to Hidden Lake and Hidden Lake Lookout

The trail to Hidden Lake and Hidden Lake Lookout is located in the North Cascades of Washington. The hike is 8.0 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 3300ft and a highest point of 6900ft elevation. Out of all my hikes this summer so far, this hike has been one of the most beautiful in the North Cascades (it makes up for the two and a half hour drive). The trail begins in the woods on a dried up riverbed. After almost a mile the trail breaks out into a large green mountain meadow, with raging rivers and wildflowers to distract from the sun exposure, make sure to bring sunscreen as the rest of the trail in completely sun exposed. We hiked up in eighty degree weather and were very thankful to have sunscreen. The trail crosses to "streams", which by mid summer require caution due to the heavy snow melt. Up you go as the trail climbs the mountain side in a number of switchbacks. Around two miles, you leave the grassy meadow below you and enter rocky, alpine meadows. The views even from here are breathtaking, and if you look closely you can see a tiny little dot which marks Lookout Mountain Lookout on the neighboring mountain. Continue hiking with mild elevation gain for the next mile through alpine meadows. Even in late summer you can find large snow fields, hiking poles help. Some of the snowfields are climbing up mountain sides, thus, caution is required to not slide down. In early summer crampons may be helpful. There are many campsites along the trail around three miles. Look up on the sheer rock face to see the tiny lookout, which seems inaccessible from this view. However, continue another half a mile to reach the ridge, and the sign which marks the boundary of the North Cascades National Park. Here, there are two destinations- Hidden Lake or Hidden Lake Lookout. Free climb down into the "bowl" to reach three- five campsites by the lake, or free climb up the mountain side to reach the old fire lookout. It is important to note there is no designated trail to either the lake OR the lookout. Also important to note- you can spend the night in the lookout but it is first come first serve so plan of bringing gear to camp in case someone arrives before you (grab a permit from the ranger station if you plan this). We had planned on spending the night in the lookout but instead set up tent by the lake. We spent the night beside the lake, and were rewarded with the most amazing mountain sunset I had ever seen. The view was otherworldly- there was even a rainbow above the lake at sunset. We had our mountain house spaghetti cooked from our beloved jetboil and finished off the night with freezer dried ice cream. All three of us hikers shared the one person tent, you could say it was a tight fit! We awoke in the morning to POURING rain and minimal visibility. We suited up our rain gear and packed up the tent and began our decent. Despite the rain and low visibility the whole way down, we made it our car and blasted the heat for the two hours home. Overall, a beautiful and WILD experience in the North Cascades, and a trail I am looking forward to going back to.