Hi Everybody,
I haven't been down the Castle Lake Trail on the west side of Saint Helens. It's too far for me to do as a day hike so I'm wondering if anyone has been down that way lately and if you remember there being camping spots near the end of the Castle Lake Trail?
Thanks!
Camping spots on Castle Lake Trail?
Camping spots on Castle Lake Trail?
"It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe."
Re: Camping spots on Castle Lake Trail?
This WTA trip report from 3 years ago seems to have answered my questions well enough. I can't imagine the trail conditions being improved from that point, so I'll be heading elsewhere.
https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-repo ... 2480052608
https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-repo ... 2480052608
"It isn't the mountain ahead that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe."
Re: Camping spots on Castle Lake Trail?
I've had this one on my list for awhile, but like you, have been dissuaded by the negative reports you cite. But it does sound like quite the adventure.
One of my goals is to hike out from Blue Lake and set up for two nights on the table at the head of Castle Creek, outside of the restricted zone (46.224339, -122.261319), then day hike the Castle Lake Trail and see how far I can get. From satellite, it looks so much easier to just stay up on the ridge and follow the old logging roads rather than drop down to the east base where the trail is allegedly located. The elk trails look more pronounced than the Castle Lake Trail.
Now if only they would connect the north end of the trail over to Hummocks... that's a missing link that I wish they would fill. And that's especially because of the upcoming 4-6 year closure of the Truman Trail that will sever the only trail connection between the north and south ends of the Monument.
One of my goals is to hike out from Blue Lake and set up for two nights on the table at the head of Castle Creek, outside of the restricted zone (46.224339, -122.261319), then day hike the Castle Lake Trail and see how far I can get. From satellite, it looks so much easier to just stay up on the ridge and follow the old logging roads rather than drop down to the east base where the trail is allegedly located. The elk trails look more pronounced than the Castle Lake Trail.
Now if only they would connect the north end of the trail over to Hummocks... that's a missing link that I wish they would fill. And that's especially because of the upcoming 4-6 year closure of the Truman Trail that will sever the only trail connection between the north and south ends of the Monument.
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