Chain Lakes Loop Trail: A Complete Guide

Chain Lakes Loop is a bucket list worthy hike that you definitely don’t want to miss in Washington. It’s got everything that makes for a spectacular day: gorgeous mountain views of not one but TWO major mountains (Shuksan and Baker), wildflowers in summer months and fall foliage in autumn, broad vistas and ridgelines to admire, crystalline sub-alpine lakes to swim or play in, and in a loop so you never repeat a portion of the trail. Here’s everything to know about hiking the Chain Lakes Loop so you’re ready for your adventure!

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Where is Chain Lakes Loop?

The Chain Lakes Loop trail is located near Mount Baker, in northern Washington in the north cascade mountain range (but NOT in North Cascades National Park. It’s quite a drive to get to the park from here!). The Mount Baker area is about a three hour drive northeast of Seattle and about two and a half hours southeast of Vancouver, BC. It’s doable as a day trip from Seattle, but only if you are very strong and capable of driving after a moderately difficult hike! I’d recommend staying a night or two in the area, which leads me to…

Where to stay near the Chain Lakes Loop trail

The closest place you can stay near the Chain Lakes Loop trail is probably Silver Fir Campground. It’s a small campground (20 sites) that is reservable up to six months in advance on recreation.gov, and it’s about a 30 minute drive to the trailhead from the campground. Douglas Fir campground is a bit farther away at 45 minutes to the trailhead, but still fairly close by and also reservable on recreation.gov.

There are not big hotels in the area, which is probably a good thing! Instead, you can find many cabins available for rentals that look absolutely delightful, in the town of Glacier about 40 minutes from Mount Baker. Rent a cabin here.

Chain Lakes Loop overview

Chain Lakes Loop is a moderately strenuous trail, clocking in at 6.5 miles round trip and 1,820 feet of elevation gain. You can expect to go up and down throughout the trail; it’s not all uphill and then all downhill or vice versa. The trail is pet friendly and very popular, so you will be with many other human and animal friends along the way.

Parking at the Chain Lakes Loop Trail

There are a few options for parking at the Chain Lakes Loop trail. This is because there are a couple of different entry points. You can park at Artist Point parking lot, which is what we did. You can also park near the Bagley Lakes trailhead, or at the Artist Point overflow lot.

Note that these areas are extremely popular and can fill up. We arrived around 11:30 am and were able to grab a spot from backpackers who were leaving, but the overflow lot was full and people were parked along the side of the road below Artist Point.

Regardless of where you park, you will need either a Northwest Forest Pass or an America the Beautiful pass. The Northwest Forest pass is specific to using trails on National Forest lands in Washington and Oregon, and the America the Beautiful pass is an annual pass that gets you entrance to national parks and federal lands.

How to hike the Chain Lakes Loop

There are a couple of different entry points as this is a loop trail, and of course you can go clockwise or counterclockwise. We chose to start at Artist Point and head counterclockwise. You’ll need a Northwest Forest Pass to park at any of the trailheads along the Chain Lakes Loop route.

Starting at Artist Point, we took the Wild Goose trail to the right of the bathroom in the parking lot to begin the Chain Lakes Loop trail. From there, you follow the cairns with the goose placard until reaching the Austin Pass/Heather Meadows parking area.

At the parking lot, you’ll take the trail to the right down the hill to the side of the lake, and continue left after crossing the stone bridge.

Then the climb begins. You will hike up to Herman Saddle, which is a completely exposed ascent of about 1,000 feet of elevation gain. It is definitely the steepest and most difficult part of doing the trail in this direction. When you get to the top of Herman Saddle, you’ll get incredible views of Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker, so it feels like a real reward for your hard work!

After resting at the Herman Saddle, you’ll head down the trail to the lake basin, where you’ll pass by several lakes: Hayes Lake, Iceberg Lake, and Mazama Lakes. There’s even a pit toilet near Hayes Lake if you need one!

Tip: The easiest place to play in the water is at Iceberg Lake, because there are various footpaths off the trail to the lakeside. There are also paths to Hayes Lake, but they are a bit longer. We were short on time and were thinking of skipping the lakes at all until we saw a short path down to Iceberg Lake.

The water in the lakes is frigid, even in peak summer. Note that it can be very dangerous to jump into cold water, so if you decide to get in, it’s best to get in slowly.

After enjoying the water, you’ll start to climb back up out of the lake basin. There’s a short and steep ascent that is also very exposed, but it’s not as bad as the ascent to Herman Saddle (shorter and less steep). You’ll see Mazama Lake on your right. Enjoy the stunning views of Mount Baker while you work your way to the top!

Once you reach the top, the rest of the trail is fairly flat all the way back to the parking lot. And you’ll get fantastic views as you walk along the narrow ridge back to Artist Point, of Mount Shuksan in front of you and Mount Baker at your back. Don’t forget to look back to get those views!

Tip: if you’re hiking with small children or toddlers, you’re going to want them in the pack for the last mile or so because the trail is quite narrow and there is a drop off to your right. There are a few stretches of this trail where I would definitely not let my son out of the pack for these reasons. The best place for kids to play and run is in the lake basin area. It’s flatter, drop offs aren’t a concern, and playing in the lake water is amazing.

Overall, the Chain Lakes Loop trail is incredible. But there are a few downsides. One, the first part of the trail crosses roads and parking lots. As my husband noted, it almost doesn’t feel like you’re actually on the trail until you hit the Bagley Lakes area. In an ideal world, I think you’d want to start the trail at Bagley Lakes and end it at Artist Point, but there’s not a way to do that!

The second less great element of the trail is that you can actually see the road and parking lots (from a distance) for a good chunk of the trail. Including from the top of Herman Saddle! Even though I tend to prefer trails where you can’t see the road or any cars, this trail was still absolutely incredible.

What went well about hiking Chain Lakes Loop

• Hiking in the afternoon was nice for the golden afternoon light*. It was absolutely gorgeous on a late summer evening around 4/5 pm!
• The direction we went (counterclockwise from Artist Point) was definitely the way I’d recommend. I would NOT want to end the hike trudging up the steep and less scenic Wild Goose Trail. I’m glad we got that over with at the beginning, and that our last mile or so was flat and gorgeous views of Mt. Shuksan.
• The trail is simply stunning. It lives up to the hype, in my opinion! I’m so glad we chose this trail and I would 100% do it again.

*More context below though!

What we would do differently if we hiked Chain Lakes Loop again

• Start the trail earlier in the day. This would help avoid climbing Herman Saddle in peak heat/sunshine AND also allow us to…
• Spend more time at the lakes. We were unable to because we were short on time and only spent about 30 minutes at Iceberg Lake. Next time I hike here, I’d plan to spend time at Hayes Lake too, and budget at least an hour to relax and enjoy the basin–if not more.
• Consider a one night backpacking trip. We haven’t ever been backpacking as a family, but my husband and I both agreed we would like to backpack here. Why? It would make the hike much easier and the lakes are an amazing place to stay. You don’t need a backpacking permit to camp overnight, but you do have to camp only in the areas labeled for camping at Mazama and Hayes Lakes, so if you want a site you’d probably want to arrive early to secure it.
• Go in the fall. We went at the very beginning of September (on Labor Day weekend) and it was HOT. It wasn’t unbearable, but I’d certainly be curious to hike in mid to late-September when the temperatures would be cooler and fall colors would be shining. The wildflowers we saw were past peak but still pretty!
• Bring a water filter. We only brought 2.5L per person and a gatorade, and I drank it all (and would have consumed more if I had it). There are MANY spots along the way where you can filter water, not just the lakes but many small water crossings. I would pack a filter so I wouldn’t have to carry as much weight, and also have as much water as I wanted.

What to pack to hike Chain Lakes Loop

Here’s what I would bring and wear to hike the Chain Lakes Loop Trail!

• Bike shorts
• Short sleeve wicking shirt
• Sun hoodie (my favorite summer hiking gear)
• Sunglasses
• Sun hat
• Wool hiking socks
• Waterproof hiking boots
• Hiking poles
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray: this one is a great and effective, less toxic alternative to DEET
• Water reservoir: Osprey has amazing water reservoirs
• Hiking backpack: I love Gregory packs and it’s even better when they have water reservoir pouches
• Water filter: A mini one is great for day hikes
• Fleece jacket: I am so obsessed with these
• Swimsuit
• Towel: quick drying towels are best because they are light and smaller to pack
• Headlamp in case you end up leaving the trail later than expected, or if you want to watch sunset
• Plenty of snacks
• Water shoes for playing in the lake; the rocks are BRUTAL at the lakeshore
• Rain jacket: pretty much an essential for hiking in the PNW
• Navigation: I was really glad I had AllTrails pro to guide us as there were several areas where it looked like the trail branched in different directions. Our maps were able to guide us!
• Personal Location Beacon like the Garmin Mini InReach: This is the ultimate safety device which allows you to satellite text and also call for emergency support if you ever need it.

Final Thoughts on the Chain Lakes Loop Trail

After years of being on my list, I am so glad we got to check off the Chain Lakes Loop Trail. I’m almost certain I will hike it again in the next few years; it’s worth a revisit for sure! Don’t miss out on this gorgeous trail that is only accessible a few months out of the year.