The Golden Lakes Loop
What: A multi-day backpacking trip that visits several beautiful mountain lakes and crosses some very high mountain passes.
Getting there: Drive U.S. 97 north from Wenatchee to Pateros. Turn left on the Methow Valley Highway (Highway 153), drive 17 miles and turn left again on a narrow road to the left, Gold Creek Loop. Drive one mile and turn left on road No. 4340, Foggy Dew. This is the North Fork Gold Creek road, which you follow 6.7 miles to a junction. Turn left onto road No. 300, Crater Creek, and drive 4.6 miles to the Crater Creek trailhead at 4,800 feet.
The trails: The loop begins at Crater Creek Trailhead, follows Trail 431 westerly 7.8 miles over Horsehead Pass to Boiling Lake, where you can camp amid beautiful scenery. After another mile west on Trail 1255, keep left at the three-way fork, following Trail 1259 over the Martin-Old Maid Pass (an enchanted place) 2.2 miles to another junction. Turn left again, to climb 1,000 feet in 1.4 miles on Trail 1259D,followed by a short traverse to a saddle overlooking Cooney Lake to the northeast.
Leave the main trail to descend to the lake, a terrific camping site. From here, the route is northeasterly on Trail 429, 6.2 miles back to the junction with the Eagle Lake Trail.
Length: 23 miles.
Low elevation: 4,800 feet
High elevation: 8,000 feet.
Difficulty: Moderately difficult.
Map: Green Trails No. 115, Prince Creek
Permits: Northwest Forest Pass
Notes: Carry a stove and water filter. Expect cold weather and dress and pack accordingly.
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