Baker Lake Trail #610

Mt. Baker – Snoqualmie National Fores

Home Definitions How Much Sites Baker Lake Return to Mt.Vernon area index page.	Mt.Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest Trail 610 follows the east shore of Baker Lake. It was formerly called the East Bank Trail. Photo at right is of the sign at the trailhead. The trailhead’s elevation is about 1000 feet above sea level and climbs about 200 feet in its 14.3 mile length. Because of its low elevation it is free from snow most of the year and is open year round for family hiking. The trail begins in an old growth stand of Douglas fir that grew out of a forest fire in 1843. The forest fire was caused by an eruption of Mt. Baker. Since, for the purposes of this site we consider forests older than 150 years old growth even though it is not an ancient forest. The area has never been logged and it was nature that caused the earlier forests demise. There are still some burned out snags of the virgin cedar trees that grew in the area before 1843. There are large stands of ancient old growth, some on private lands, in the area that survived the fires in 1843 and you can even observe fire scars in their bark from the fires. The trail follows the eastern shoreline of Baker Lake and offers many views of Mt. Baker with the Lake in the foreground. At 1.8 miles a spur trail to the left, it goes 0.25 miles to Anderson Point which has several camp sites. At 3.8 miles there is another spur trail to the left, it goes 0.3 miles to Maple Grove Campground. It has 6 tent sites and is also accessible by boat. Baker Lake Trail continues another 6.0 miles to the junction with Noisy Creek Trail #610.3. Turn left to access campsites at the mouth of Noisy Creek, or right to hike Trail #610.3. If you go straight (The day we hiked the trail, Noisy Creek was high and we could not continue past this point) and continue on the Baker Lake Trail, in approximately 3.0 more miles the trail crosses Hidden Creek on a footbridge and drops down to follow the Baker River to the trail's end at its intersection with Baker River Trail #606.
	Mt. Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest Baker Lake Trail #610 http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/recreation/activities/trails/mbrd/mbrd_0610.htm
	Directions: From Interstate-5 Exit 230 travel east on WA-20 (North Cross-state Highway milepost 60) to Sedro-Woolley, continue to follow WA-20 east for 16.0 miles to milepost 82. Turn left (north) onto the Baker Lake Highway (Forest Service Road #11). Continue for 14.0 miles to the Baker Dam Road and turn right. Drive past the Puget Sound Energy Kulshan Campground and across the Upper Baker Dam. After crossing the dam, turn left on F.S. Road #1107. Follow Road #1107 for 1.0 mile and look for the trailhead and parking area on the left side of the road Note: If you or someone in your party is afraid of heights, the trip over the dam may be an insurmountable obstacle and you may want to select another trail. Recreationists are reminded that a Northwest Forest Pass is required at trailheads in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Hikers can buy a $30 annual pass or a $5 day pass at Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Ranger Stations. Passes are also available at local vendors or can be ordered by calling (toll free) 1-800-270-7504 or ordered on-line through Nature of the Northwest.

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