Mileage: 10 miles RT
Elevation Gain/Highest: 1500ft/5200ft (Top Lake is at about 4600ft, you go over Fall Mountain first to get there).
Map: Green Trails Benchmark No. 144
My favorite places to stop post hike with friends are: Grilla Bites, Route 2 Taproom and Grazing Place, Good Brewing Company, River House Cafe, Espresso Chalet, Gustav’s, Yodelin’s Broth Company, South, Dan’s Food Market, or just Pack A Cooler. You can learn more about these places in my Must Hike Must Eat Eating Out Guide.
Find out current conditions and as always, practice Leave No Trace. Pretty Please.
My Hike:
8/1/2016
We hiked out the Top Lake trail after our work party on the PCT and I wanted to report that the trail has been cleared off all logs. There are still some drainage issues (mud) but we fixed the few we had time for. The water on the trail is limited to a small creek near the beginning and the lake itself.
There is plenty of brush to weed through, the trail is quite overgrown in places but you have great views of Daniel and Stuart, in addition to Glacier Peak and the North Cascades. You will find campsites on both sides of the burn and by the small creek I mentioned near the beginning.
We all remarked what a large trailhead it was for such a small trail. Most of your elevation loss/gain is between Fall Mountain and Top Lake. It’s a grind.
Directions: From US 2 E at Coles Corner, turn left on WA 207 toward Lake Wenatchee. In 4.4 miles turn left on Lake Wenatchee HWY. In 6.2 miles turn left on Lake Wenatchee River Rd. In 9.4 miles take a left at the fork onto Little Wenatchee River Rd 6700, which becomes NF 6701. There is a sign here indicating Smithbrook Road and Highway 2. Cross a bridge and take the right fork after the crossing. Continue past the road that goes to Heather Lake TH. In 1.9 miles, go left on NF 400. In 2.3 miles arrive at the TH. There is no privy and a Northwest Forest Pass is needed.
For more hikes on HWY 2, click HERE.
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Need some eating out suggestions when friends want to stop after a hike? I have a Pacific Northwest Eating Guide here.
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