Trip Report
Day Hike - Tuscohatchie Lake, Pratt Lake, Olallie Lake from Exit 47
I scouted the trifecta of lakes on a picture-perfect morning, 14 miles/3500' in just under 6 hours. Trillium blooming in mass quantities. The hills are alive with the sound of birds - 29 species.
Courtenay Schurman
- Tue, May 27, 2025
- Pratt Lake Trail
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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I was first to the Exit 47 Pratt Lake/Granite Mountain trailhead Tuesday 5/27 (6 a.m.) except for one car which I’m guessing was a backpacker’s. The vehicle was still there when I got down at 12:45. The toilets were adequately stocked with TP and there is a new “pay station” installed if you forget your NW Forest Pass. At 12:40 the parking lot had 20 cars, but I’m guessing most of those were people going up Granite as I certainly didn’t see them on the Pratt/Olallie/Tuscohatchie portion of the trail.
Trail conditions: The streams are all pretty high but if you have a stick or pole you should be fine. There are a few patches of snow beyond the Talapus/Olallie junction (at mile 3) as you head to the uppermost stream crossing, but I never needed the traction devices I brought.
The only time I used one of my poles was for a high-rushing stream crossing and one spot going into Pratt Lake Basin where I rolled an ankle five years ago. Be warned: since there IS still melting snow, there will likely be mosquitoes, MUD, and other bugs for the foreseeable future. Most of the snow has melted off the path through the boulders, and where there IS a little ice/snow I’m guessing most of that will melt this week.
If you see snow, stick to the rocks where possible so you don’t posthole as it is melting very fast. Gaiters aren’t really necessary, but they would probably protect your socks from mud flecks and ankles from bug bites. I waded in Tuscohatchie lake for 5 minutes (BRR!) at my halfway point and was glad for the reprieve.
Campsites: Tuscohatchie seemed like a better camping spot; the sites I saw were drier (breezier over there and not as many trees, so more direct sun). At Pratt Lake the trees offer protection but also later melt and hence mud and bugs.
Pratt Lake north end - camp sites are all in the shade and pretty buggy but what a beautiful morning.
My initial intention was to scout Pratt Lake Basin for a future Mountaineers trip and to see where the snow level is for Island and Rainbow in June. But I was having such a wonderful time, with picture-perfect weather, that I went for the trifecta of lakes, adding a stop at Tuscohatchie Lake (+ a mile each way) and Olallie Lake (adding roughly another mile) for a total of 14 miles. On the day, AllTrails had me at 3500’ elevation gain, in just under 6 hours moving time or 2.3 mph up / 2.5 mph down.
Above, my lower Lake Tuscohatchie wading spot.
Foot traffic: I saw one person who said he was camped at Melakwa Lake; I think he was headed for Granite as I made my way up to the Pratt-Rainbow junction. I saw him coming back up the trail as I was descending. Other than that, I saw 2 solo trail runners, 2 solo hikers, one man whose dog had run off near Olallie Lake, and a pair of hikers just starting as I returned to my car. 8 people in 6 hours and 3 lakes, not bad.
Flora: Oh, my goodness the TRILLIUMS are SPLENDIDLY GORGEOUS right now on the east side of Pratt Lake. Vanilla leaf, violets, bunchberry, and bleeding hearts are also out in force.
Fauna: I heard at least 6 picas (even spotted one little cutie) and 29 bird species including 3 types of woodpeckers, 5 types of warblers, a sage grouse “whoomping” way in the distance, all three thrushes, 2 Canada jays, and several species of flycatchers.
All in all it was a wonderful outing which only would have been better if my dog could still do the distances… He just turned 10 and I’ve capped him at 8 miles.