Backpack - Dewey Lake

Meet at 8:30 AM Saturday at the Enumclaw Ranger Station, 450 E Roosevelt Ave, Enumclaw, where restrooms are available and no parking pass is required. 

Parking space will be severely limited at the trailhead parking lot, so we will consolidate cars at the Enumclaw Ranger station as much as we can, and then caravan to the trailhead parking lot, involving heading east on SR 410 (Roosevelt Ave E) through Greenwater, staying on SR 410 at the junction with SR 123, passing over Chinook Pass and parking at the next parking lot on the left side of the road.  If the parking lot is full, we park on the north side of the highway heading toward Chinook Pass.  Each car parked there must display a Northwest Forest Pass or a National Park Pass.

The hike into big Dewey Lake (our campsite destination) is entirely on the Pacific Crest Trail and takes us through spectacular alpine meadows with nearby views of flowers and more distant views toward the east and south.  The first half of the hike involves a gentle elevation gain followed by a larger, but gentle elevation drop to reach our campsite at the south end of the lake.

After setting up camp, we'll have an optional 6 mile RT day hike on the PCT to Anderson Lake, providing a swimming opportunity in warm water.  After the day hike we have another swimming opportunity in Big Dewey Lake before preparing our camp dinner.  Campfires are not permitted at Dewey Lake, but the pleasure of lolling on the beach after dinner, makes up for it.  Sunday morning after breakfast we will pack up and hike out by the same route we hiked in.

On the drive home, if we get an early start, we can stop for lunch at popular Charlie's Restaurant in Enumclaw, which closes at 1 PM.  

There are restroom facilities at the Enumclaw Ranger Station, the trailhead parking lot and Charlie's Restaurant, but not on our hiking route.  The woods around our campsite provide privacy for bathroom breaks.  Water can be filled from the outflow stream from Big Dewey Lake, which is near where we camp.