Junction Lake-Bear Lake Loop Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: East Crater Trailhead
- End Point: Bear Lake
- Trail Log:
- Distance: 8.7 miles
- Hike type: Lollipop loop
- Elevation gain: 1220 feet
- High Point: 5,045 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: Summer into Fall
- Family Friendly: Yes, for older kids
- Backpackable: Yes
- Crowded: Yes
Contents |
Hike Description
The Indian Heaven Wilderness offers several loop opportunities for day hikers. While the popular Thomas Lake Trailhead, which leads to a string of lakes, gets a lot of attention, this lollipop loop from the East Crater Trailhead attracts somewhat smaller crowds and adds a little more variety, with more remote lakes and the meadow-studded Lemei Lake Trail being the highlights. Optional diversions include a trip up the East Crater (See the Junction Lake Hike), the spur to Elk Lake (See the Elk Lake Add-on Hike), and visits to Cultus Lake and Deep Lake.
The trail heads in past a wilderness permit station in montane forest of lichen-draped mountain hemlock, Douglas-fir, noble and silver fir as well as the odd western larch. Note the hemlock drilled with sapsucker holes right at the trailhead. Cross a boggy area on stepping stones. The path rises through bear-grass and huckleberry bushes and crosses a couple of rocky stream beds, the second on a footbridge. Cross two more footbridges and pass an abandoned trail bed leading to the right. Cross a stream on a footbridge, and then pass a wet meadow and wind up a slope. Pass a couple more small meadows and then one more with a shallow tarn, where you'll observe charred conifers from the 2017 East Crater Fire. Rise alongside the small creek; the trail heads along the south side of a linear meadow with the steep slope of the East Crater to the left. Get a view of Junction Lake on the right. Reach the Pacific Crest-East Crater Trail Junction, and make a right.
Soon reach a footbridge and then keep left at the Pacific Crest-Lemei Lake Trail Junction (This is the return point to close the loop). Traverse a slope forest of silver fir, and cross the tumbling middle fork of Rush Creek above small meadows. Soon, find your way over the north fork of Rush Creek: below the trail, there's a pretty three-tiered waterfall, but you'll have to bushwhack through huckleberries to see it. The trail rises, and you'll see Acker Lake down to your left through the trees. Come to the Pacific Crest-Elk Lake Trail Junction, with Bear Lake glistening below (You can make a quick diversion to Bear Lake's south shore from the junction). Gradually ascend through the conifers, noting some impressive old-growth noble firs. Soon, you'll see Deer Lake below, and come to the Pacific Crest-Indian Heaven Trail Junction.
Head up the Indian Heaven Trail to find yourself above Clear Lake. A spur leads down to the quiet shore and a couple of campsites. Traverse a massive scree slope, and hike a short, steep rise to the junction with the Lemei Lake Trail #179.
The rutted Lemei Lake Trail descends very gradually. You'll pass the east end of an abandoned section of the Elk Lake Trail on the right. Cross a big meadow, and then reenter old-growth montane forest. A creek runs to the right, and you'll come close to it when you hike through the next meadow. Rock hop Rush Creek's north fork east of where it enters Lemei Lake. The trail then skirts boggy meadows at Lemei Lake, from which you can get a view east to Lemei Rock. A footbridge and turnpike lead through a linear meadow before the trail switchbacks twice up a slope. From a couple of meadows with shallow tarns, you'll enjoy more vistas to Lemei Rock. Descend the deeply incised track to a small meadow, and cross three creeks, the last one being Rush Creek's middle fork. Cross a large open expanse, and then begin to drop gradually. Wind down through pocket meadows onto a ridge of old growth. Switchback and traverse down to the shore of Junction Lake, where you'll walk past a campsite and reach the Pacific Crest-Lemei Lake Trail Junction.
Turn left for the Pacific Crest Trail's junction with the East Crater Trail, and return to your vehicle along that 2.3 mile trail.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Green Trails Maps: Wind River, WA #397 and Lone Butte, WA #365
- Indian Heaven (USFS)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Adams Wilderness, Indian Heaven Wilderness, Trapper Creek Wilderness
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Adams Ranger District
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Mount St. Helens - Mt. Adams
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- Self-issued wilderness permit at trailhead
- Wilderness rules apply
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Junction Lake-Bear Lake Loop Hike
- East Crater / Jcn and Bear Lakes
- Indian Heaven backpacking cut short by wildfire - Sep 2-3
- Indian Heaven: Junction Lake loop
- Another Indian Heaven Looplet
- More Indian Heaven: East Crater to Deep Lake
- Indian Heaven Lake Loop - 07/07/09
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Junction Lake-Bear Lake Loop Hike
Guidebooks that cover this destination
- Hiking Washington's Mount Adams Country by Fred Barstad
- Day Hiking Mount Adams and Goat Rocks by Tami Asars
- 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington by William L. Sullivan
- Portland Hikes by Art Bernstein & Andrew Jackman
- Best Hikes With Kids: Western Washington & the Cascades by Joan Burton
- 33 Hiking Trails: Southern Washington Cascades by Don & Roberta Lowe
- Exploring Washington's Wild Areas by Marge & Ted Mueller
- Indian Heaven Back Country by Mel Hansen
More Links
- Trail #48 East Crater (USFS)
- Trail #2000 Pacific Crest, Mt. Adams area (USFS)
- Trail #33 Indian Heaven (USFS)
- Trail #179 Lemei Lake (USFS)
- Indian Heaven Wilderness (USFS)
- Indian Heaven Lakes Loop via East Crater Trail (MyHikes)
- Indian heaven - Junction Lake, Indian Heaven #33 (Washington Trails Association)
Page Contributors
- bobcat (creator)