I’ve thought of Rainy Lake for years without actually going there.
That’s partly because I drive past it whenever I take the North Cascades Highway to eastern Washington, which I do as often as I can. But it’s mostly because state fisheries biologists have told my fly fishing club on at least two occasions that Rainy is one of the best high mountain lakes on the eastern side of the Cascade Range.
I kept driving past Rainy until this year, when heat and drought made many of western Washington’s lakes and rivers unfishable. That made me think about high mountain lakes, which are about the only game in town for anglers until more pink salmon show up in Puget Sound.
But I was still a bit skeptical of Rainy, mostly because I’ve spent many years hiking in the Cascades and I’ve learned that finding good fishing in high mountain lakes is rarely easy. Generally a lot of hiking with heavy packs is involved.
Surprisingly enough, that’s not the case at Rainy, which is the only high mountain lake I’ve ever heard of that is accessible for people who are handicapped.
The one-mile trail is capped with asphalt and graded so that people who are wheelchair-bound can make the trip. The elevation gain from the parking lot to the viewpoint on the north end of the lake is only 70 feet. On a visit to the lake earlier this month, I met French tourists Gerard and Evelyn Vallent, who were pleased at the effort to bring handicapped people to the high country. “Perfect. It’s very surprising, in the right sense of the word,” Gerard Vallent said of the trail.
I visited the lake on a Monday morning and found the trail quite popular. Of course, it isn’t just for people with a disability, it’s for everyone. And that’s who was using it. There were several families, including a couple with strollers, some older couples, and a few hikers who had included Rainy Lake in a longer loop trail to Maple Pass or Lake Ann. The trail seemed particularly popular with families who had stopped there on the way to somewhere else. Several talked about other activities they’d planned as soon as they finished the quick hike.
Nobody appeared to be handicapped and nobody was fishing, including me. But I plan to go back soon to check that out. The state says the lake is stocked with west-slope cutthroat trout, averaging about 10 or 11 inches. But I would guess there are some bigger ones in there, because I don’t think the 53-acre lake gets fished very much. It certainly doesn’t get fished very thoroughly because it’s the kind of place where you need an inflatable boat or float tube to do it justice.
In addition to an easy trail, Rainy also has a number of benches alongside for people who want to rest a bit and walk a bit. And it has some nice signs to provide a little more information about high mountain trees and plants.
The only downside is that the trail is fairly close to the highway, so the traffic noise can keep you from enjoying the beautiful silence of a mountain forest. And the area, including the 4,800-foot alpine lake itself, is truly beautiful.
At the viewpoint, I was surprised to see some snow still atop some of the peaks. They created some small waterfalls that added to the scenery.
Getting there
Rainy Lake picnic area is on the North Cascades Highway. From Snohomish County, take I-5 to Highway 530 at the Arlington exit. Head east to Darrington and continue on 530 until you hit Highway 20 (North Cascades) at Rockport. Follow Highway 20 east to Rainy Pass. The picnic area and trail is in the Okanagan National Forest. If you don’t have a federal pass, you can pay a $5 per car activity fee. The area has restrooms, but no camping.
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