Backpack - Packwood Lake

Meet at 9 AM Saturday at the Mountain Goat Coffee Shop, 105 Main St., Packwood, at SR 12, near the center of town, reached from Enumclaw via SR 410, SR 123 and SR 12, and from Olympia via I-5 and SR 12.

From the meeting place in Packwood we will caravan several miles to the trailhead, involving heading north on SR 12, turning right onto Snyder Road and continuing to its end at the trailhead parking lot.  A Northwest Forest Pass or National Park Pass must be displayed by each car parked at the trailhead.

The hike in to Packwood Lake is on a good trail that gradually gains 1200 feet before gradually descending 300 feet to the lake.  The trail arrives at the north end of the lake.  We usually camp on the east side of the lake, which involves additional hiking to find an available and suitable campsite, that is usually about a half mile.

After setting up camp, we'll have our trail lunch and then have an optional two mile RT level hike to the south end of the lake, where there is a view of Mt. Rainier.  After the day hike, there will be time for a swim in the lake, if the weather cooperates.  Because of the low elevation of this lake, the water is warmer than most alpine lakes.

Saturday evening, we'll have a camp dinner, followed by smores around the campfire.  Sunday morning we'll have a camp breakfast and then break camp and hike out.  After hiking out we customarily stop at a restaurant in Packwood for refreshments.

There are restrooms at the Mountain Goat Coffee Shop and the trailhead parking lot, but nowhere on our hiking route.  We will be hiking through a forest on our entire route, so there will be multiple opportunities for bathroom breaks along the way, as well as near camp.  There are streams near the campsites from which water can be filtered.