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Day Hike - Heather Park-Lake Angeles Loop

Strenuous hike to gorgeous views looking into the Olympics and across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Continuing beyond the saddle above Heather Park is not for the faint of heart or those nervous about exposure.

Brian Carpenter Brian Carpenter
July 23, 2022
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • Trail is in excellent shape to the saddle above Heather Park.  Beyond this point the trail becomes more of a scramble path with several points of significant exposure to falling hazard within the next half-mile towards Klahane saddle. Loose scree, loose scree on rocks, steep drop offs and a narrow trail characterize the "trail" beyond Heather park. 

Strenuous hike up to the saddle above Heather Park. There is a short and super easy path to a great viewpoint just above the saddle.  Cool pillow basalt formations and views 360 degrees.  We started hiking in the clouds today and ended up hiking above them before they burned off. We attempted to go beyond the saddle above Heather Park over to Klahane ridge, however the trail is seriously sketchy in several places within the first mile and we turned around. From the saddle above Heather Park you have to drop down about 100 feet in a gully of loose scree. The trail then alternates between relatively tame sections of narrow trail in trees and seriously sketchy sections crossing rocky slopes with dangerous drop offs from the narrow trail, which is covered in loose scree in many places.  We turned around at this point as travel had slowed significantly and conditions on the other side of Klahane saddle were unknown. More of the same would not have been safe in my opinion.  Perhaps the route from the Angeles side is safer, but the section of trail between Heather Park and Klahane saddle (at a minimum) is not safe nor suitable for a regular hike, more properly should be considered a scramble.