Backpack - Summit Lake

Meet at 8 AM at Wally's Drive-in on SR 410 at the north end of Buckley at the last traffic light (address 282 WA-410, Buckley, WA . 98321). 

We can consolidate cars at Wally's Drive-In, leaving extra cars at a nearby school parking lot.  Then we will caravan to the trailhead via SR 165, stopping enroute at the end of the road to use the restrooms at the Carbon River entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park.  The meeting time was set so that we arrive early enough to have a good choice of campsites.  The hike in will be almost entirely under a forest canopy on a good well-graded trail.  Campsites are mostly in forested areas.  After our trail lunch and setting up camp, we'll go for a swim in Summit Lake, weather permitting.  Either before or after our camp dinner we'll have an optional day hike to a viewpoint with a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier.   If we go there in the evening, we may be able to watch the sunset.

There is an outhouse at Summit Lake, but not at the trailhead.  A Northwest Forest Pass, or the equivalent, must be displayed by each car at the trailhead.  The gravel seven mile Forest Service Road from SR 165 to the trailhead will require high clearance vehicles, such as a Subaru Forester.  The rest of our driving route is paved.