Backpack - Packwood Lake

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

Breakfast food and restrooms are available at the Mountain Goat Coffee Shop.  Because the good campsites at Packwood Lake fill up early on summer weekends, we will need to leave Packwood for the trailhead parking lot at 9 AM.  So if you need to use the restroom or buy food at the Mountain Goat Coffee Shop, please arrive early enough so you are ready to drive to the trailhead parking lot at 9 AM.  If you are late, you will need to drive to the trailhead on your own and hike in on your own if we have started to hike in before you get there.  Try to check in advance about road construction that might delay your drive so you allow enough driving time.  Finding a good campsite will allow us to have a more enjoyable weekend.  I will bring a set of walkie-talkies with me to assist in finding the best campsite.

Bring a trail lunch for Saturday and camp meals for Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast.  We'll have smores around the campfire after dinner.  At this time of the year the lake water should be warm, so if the weather is good, swimming in the lake will be a popular activity on Saturday afternoon.  Food needs to be secured at night by hanging it from a tree branch in an animal-proof bag or in a bear canister.  If you plan to hang it from a tree branch, bring a 50 foot nylon cord.  

A Northwest Forest Pass, or the equivalent, must be displayed by each car at the trailhead parking lot.  There are restrooms at the Mountain Goat Coffee Shop, the trailhead parking lot and the north end of Packwood Lake, but probably not near where we will be camping.