Junction Lake Backpacking Trip – Indian Heaven Wilderness
For their first backpacking trip, I took two friends to Indian Heaven in the fall — one of my favorite spots for easy hikes, lakes, and colorful meadows.
ITINERARY
- day 1 – East Crater trailhead to Junction Lake: 2.7 miles, 675 ft. gain
- day 2 – Lakes Basin loop: 4.3 miles, 475 ft. gain
- day 3 – hike out to East Crater trailhead: 2.7 miles, 675 ft. loss
TRIP PLANNING
- best months: September – October
- location: SW Washington; nearest towns: Carson, Trout Lake
- land management: Gifford Pinchot National Forest: Indian Heaven Wilderness
- trail conditions: East Crater Trailhead
- hike description: Washington Trails Association | Oregon Hikers
- permits: self-issued at the trailhead
- trailhead pass: none required
For the first backpacking experience for two of my friends, I chose Indian Heaven in the fall for its beauty and beginner-friendly terrain, with the East Crater Trail providing one of the easiest access points into the wilderness.
We got a late start on the East Crater Trail, passing through a section of forest burned in the 2017 East Crater wildfire that adds an eerie feel to the hike. A couple of tarns in this area still had some water, while others were dried up.
Getting closer to Junction Lake, we passed by meadows with colorful huckleberry shrubs.
Mushrooms were plentiful along the trail, including these giant specimens — freshly emerged and big enough to dwarf my shoe.
The East Crater Trail ends at the Pacific Crest Trail, just before Junction Lake.
We reached Junction Lake just before dark and found a site I’d camped at before — tucked just off the Pacific Crest Trail and more private than other spots nearby. My friends all set up hammocks while I pitched my tent, and we settled in for the weekend. With lake levels lower than usual, finding water took a bit more effort, but we managed to filter enough for dinner before turning in. The night was incredibly quiet, with only the sound of birds circling overhead in the morning.
On our second day, we hiked the Lakes Basin loop counterclockwise, passing Lemei Lake and colorful meadows that still held hints of fall.
Most of the huckleberries were past their peak, but we stopped often to take in the views. At Clear Lake, we enjoyed a long lunch and filtered water to carry back to camp rather than relying on shallow Junction Lake. I always make time to look for pikas in the talus above Clear Lake, and this time I spotted two, their high-pitched calls echoing across the rocks. I love pikas!
photo credit: M. Koenig
On this trip, I was much more focused on spending time with my friends than taking photos, so I don’t have any more from the trip to share other than this parting shot on the hike out. We finished the trip with a stop at the White Salmon bakery for pastries, a perfect way to end the weekend.
