Hyas Lake, 2018

A view from the dirt road in the Cle Elum River canyon

This was a long drive that took us over Snoqualmie Pass down past Roslyn to Salmon La Sac followed by 15 miles of a terrible, washboard, dirt road with plenty of potholes thrown in for good measure. I think it took us about an hour to go those 15 miles!  

 

 Cathedral Rock

Fish lake and Tucquala meadows (or marsh)

Another section of Tucquala meadows with Cathedral Rock

It is a pristine, beautiful place once you get there. The scenery is gorgeous; the lake has clear teal blue water and a few sandy beaches near campsites.  Cathedral Rock stands tall on the horizon and can be seen at nearly every open view space.  

The trail is mostly level with just a couple of small hills.  The vertical gain was only about 300 feet.  To the lake and back is approximately a 5-mile round trip.  The trail condition was good, packed dirt with needles with a few rock or root filled places.  We waded across 16 shallow creeks.  The water levels are low this time of year so the creeks were not a problem.  In the high water season it might be different story.  I think parents could take young children on this trail during the low water season and give them a taste of a beautiful mixed forest and a wilderness lake.  

Due to a washout and weight restrictions on one bridge on the dirt road the outhouses at the trailhead are closed.  The nearest privy is either at Paris Creek Trail, near the start of the dirt road, or at the lake where there are campsites and a backwoods toilet.  Even though this was posted at Paris Creek we did not see the sign until the return trip.  The outhouses have signs on the locked doors.

It may seem strange or funny to put this in but non-hiking friends sometimes ask how to do you know where the backwoods toilet is located and what exactly is a backwoods toilet?  Usually there is a sign on a tree like the one in the photo above.  The toilet is just that, an outdoors toilet or "throne" out in the open woods, see picture below.  They are located far enough off the trail for privacy.  Some are composting and are often nicer than a few of the outhouses plus they usually do not smell.  

Aster

Thimbleberry

Berries on Solomon's seal

Do you see it?  A lone huckleberry on the bush.

Indian paintbrush

Tiny green cones forming on an alder

We couldn't figure out what this was--is it a weed or a wildflower? 

This is the time of year when we start seeing mushrooms

These are poisonous

Much to our surprise there were some wildflowers still in bloom and a lot of fall colors on the hillsides and along the trail.  We saw mushrooms, or toadstools, too.  

View through the trees of Hyas lake

Little Hyas can be seen just above the end of Hyas lake

Hyas lake

One of several camping sites beside the lake

Grouse

There were 22 cars at the trailhead and we were sure we would meet several other hikers along the way but we had a nice lunch spot near the lake without company.  Most of the folks we met were backpackers planning on going to the lakes beyond Hyas to camp overnight. Two guys in camo gear carrying bows and a pistol were hunters looking for deer. We did not see deer or elk, both supposed to be in the area, but we saw several chipmunks, an as yet unidentified black & grey squirrel, a mountain beaver, woodpeckers, juncos, and 6 grouse. 

Beautiful fall colors alongside the nasty dirt road

The count:  16 hikers, including the hunters, and 1 dog