Surprise and Glacier Lakes via Surprise Creek Trail
Surprise Lake and Glacier Lakes are reached on Surprise Creek Trail on this hard hike. At 16.1km and with 903 m of elevation gain, this hike is a solid day’s effort. You’ll enjoy the beauty of two alpine lakes and the mountains that surround them on this trail. You can also use this hike to continue on up Thunder Mountain or Surprise Mountain.
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Route Description for Surprise and Glacier Lakes via Surprise Creek Trail
The hike to Surprise Lake and Glacier Lake on Surprise Creek Trail is a beautiful trek, and it’ll leave you feeling satisfied with a full day’s effort. You can also use this trail to ascend either Thunder or Surprise mountains.
Begin from the end of the road near Scenic Creek, crossing the creek and keeping left at an intersection with a spur trail. You’ll follow alongside Surprise Creek on a trail that is mostly level, to begin with.
You’ll cross the creek just before it forks, then cross back over another arm to hike with the water now on your right. The trail soon begins to ascend, with switchbacking turns leading you up to Surprise Lake. There can sometimes be downed trees here from avalanche damage, so take your time crossing them if they’re present.
There is a fork on the lakeshore with a short trail that leads you more directly along the shore, but this trail doesn’t reconnect to the main trail, so you’ll have to backtrack if you take it.
Continue onto the PCT, keeping right at the next intersection and then left to the lakeshore of Glacier Lake. This is where the trail ends, so you can either retrace your steps or continue exploring.
Getting to the Surprise and Glacier Lakes via Surprise Creek Trail Trailhead
The trailhead for the hike to Surprise and Glacier Lakes on Surprise Creek Trail is off Highway 2 on an access road just west of Old Cascade Highway.
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