Snoqualmie Pass: Trails, Lakes, and Snowshoeing

When choosing Snoqualmie Pass as a destination, you can plan around specific activities and landscapes. Options range from an accessible, paved loop around Gold Creek Pond to snowshoeing from Annette Lake Sno-Park. They also include access points and directions on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), an 18-mile section of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, and hiking destinations such as Snow Lake, Lodge Lake, and Kendall Katwalk. To choose, it helps to first distinguish between a loop trail, a snowshoeing trip, and a trail section with named endpoints.

PCT and Trail Sections

At the Snoqualmie Pass North Trailhead, the PCT provides access to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. From the Snoqualmie Pass South Trailhead, it heads west and south. For navigating the pass, the first point therefore answers the question of how to access the wilderness, while the second gives the PCT’s direction. The 18-mile western section of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail runs from the area around North Bend to the Snoqualmie Pass Tunnel. Its length and endpoints provide different planning details than the directional information at the South Trailhead: they can help you decide whether to consider a specifically named trail section or the direction from a trailhead.

Loop Trail, Mountain Lake, and Trailheads

At Gold Creek Pond, an accessible, paved loop trail circles the scenic mountain pond. The site also has a picnic area with numerous tables. If you want to include both a loop hike and a picnic in your day’s plans, you can find both at Gold Creek Pond. The Snow Lake Trail begins at the north end of the main parking lot for Alpental Ski Area. This gives you a clearly identified starting point; the trail’s alpine landscape includes crystal-clear waters and high peaks. This combination of trailhead information and scenery can help you choose whether to plan your trip around the starting point or the surroundings.

Lakeshore Trail, Forest, and Mountain Views

The hike from Snoqualmie Pass to Lodge Lake follows the shore of Beaver Lake. At Kendall Katwalk, old-growth forest, magnificent wildflowers, and impressive mountain views are part of the scenic experience. These offer different attractions: a lakeside stretch on the way to Lodge Lake, and a hike whose scenery brings together forest, flowers, and mountain views.

Snowshoeing at Annette Lake Sno-Park

In winter, visitors can reach the Palouse to Cascades Trail on snowshoes from Annette Lake Sno-Park. The Sno-Park has a plowed parking lot with more than 40 spaces and a restroom. For your planning, you can consider the activity and facilities at this named starting point together: snowshoeing is a tour option, while the parking lot and restroom provide practical information about the Sno-Park. Unlike the paved loop trail at Gold Creek Pond, the winter activity here is snowshoeing to the Palouse to Cascades Trail.

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