This area is far from a secret but it is well worth the hype and we still found some quiet places. For this backpacking trip you can just show up, fill out a permit, and off you go (assuming you can find a parking spot) but there are plenty of options for breaking up or extending your trip.
A few memorable moments of this trip for us was a flyover, our friend’s tent going for a swim, drinking ice cold beer that we didn’t have to carry, walking on a bed of tinsey pinecones, the balance beam log, and fending off chipmunks!
The map below shows our planned routes and actual tracks and includes photos of many of the campsites and water crossings.
There is plenty of good info here but we are still adding to this article, so please stop back or subscribe to our newsletter or Facebook page to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Adventure Guide
Trail Details
- Easy - Moderate Trail Options
- Easy - Moderate Road
- 9-25+ miles
- 700-4000+ ft Elevation Gain
- Dog Friendly
- Best time to visit is summer through fall, check reports for conditions
- Need a Pass - US Forest Services (see Recreation Passes and Permits for options)
- Self-Issue Permit for overnight stays
- Bathroom at trailhead only
- No cell phone service
Hazards
- Some trail sections are narrow and/or rocky
- Mosquitos & Flies - summer
- Some large stream crossings
- One large creek that must be forded (detour still involves log crossing)
- Tree falls to negotiate
- Navigation - Bring a map!
- Popular trail with limited parking
- Smoke and Wildfire - possible summer to early fall (I carry a good mask)
Road/Parking
The road to the trailhead was a bumpy dirt road, but nice and wide and in pretty good condition, so any car should be able to make it if they take it slow. There are several trailheads down this road and no cell service so be sure you know where you are going and have offline maps. There is a large parking lot but be aware that it does fill up.
Trail Reports, Weather, & Info
WTA - Pete Lake Trail Summary & Trip Reports
WTA - Spectacle Lake Trail Summary & Trip Reports
Mountain Forecast - Lemah Mountain (This is the mountain at the tip of Spectacle Lake and the mid elevation is just a bit higher than the lake)
Spectacle Lake Trail #1306 General Info
AllTrails - Spectacle Lake Trail Weather & Trip Reports
AllTrails - Pete Lake Trail Weather & Trip Reports
How To & Options
For this one you can just show up, fill out a permit, and off you go (assuming you can find a parking spot) but there are plenty of options for breaking up or extending your trip. Some people trail run or make Spectacle a very long day hike, but most people stay the night.
Pete Lake Base Camp (shortest backpacking): Pete Lake is a beautiful option for a day hike or a short overnight and the trail is quite mild. You could make this a base camp for day hiking to Spectacle Lake. Alternately there are also camp sites by the Lemah Creak ford and at Lemah Meadows that you could use as a base camp, but there are more options and the views are better at Pete.
Evening/Afternoon Start: You may want to try and beat the rush or snag that prime campsite by starting a day early. With the generous summer light Pete Lake could be an attainable target for an after work destination for an overnight to get you setup to start up to Spectacle Lake relatively early the next day. You also get the bonus with this option of hiking the hot climb to the lake early in the day, when it is relatively cool.
Lemah Creek Crossing Options: Lemak Creek is just a mile past Pete Lake. You can ford the creek or bypass the ford by taking a slightly longer scenic Lemah Meadows Route.
The Lemah Creek Ford Option varies with the seasons and snow melt but it can involve swift moving cold water. When we were there it came above my knees (I’m 5'6"). Hiking poles are highly recommended. Half of the ford could be avoided by crossing some logs instead, but the deeper section was unavoidable. This can be a difficult area for dogs and children.
The Lemah Meadows Option was longer and a pleasant walk, and we didn’t see a single other person, but it didn’t totally alleviate the creek crossing problem. The second bridge was gone. The log that we crossed instead was over some very deep fast water and it was just barely above the water so the top of it was wet. See the video above for details. I was glad we got up there to explore a little and was a happy member of the dry feet club that day, but I wouldn’t necessarily call that crossing easier.
Add-Ons
The options are endless, but here are a few we considered.
Explore the Lake: +1.0-1.5 mile
This lake is pretty from just about every angle and there is plenty to explore around the basin, including a powerful waterfall on the north end of the east side. Watch out if you are swimming or paddling near there.
PCT Ridge Overlooking Spectacle and/or Glacier Lake: +4-8 miles and 1000-3000 feet
We hit this a bit too early in the season and found quite a bit of snow. It was an awesome adventure, but what usually would have been a nice walk required crossing some large snow fields and route finding to bypass some dangerous areas. The views from the top of the ridge are absolutely stunning and I highly recommend it. We will have to go back another time to check out Glacier Lake.
WTA - Glacier Lake Trail Summary & Trip Reports
Polallie Ridge & Lookout: +4 miles and ~2000 feet
We didn’t end up doing this one, but it was an intriguing idea for a bit of a loop and seeing something different if you are willing to do a bit more elevation.
WTA - Polallie Ridge Trail Summary & Trip Reports
Mineral Creek Route: Alternate option
This is another route for getting to Spectacle Lake from a different trailhead that requires a bit more elevation gain but less milage. You can also link up with the PCT from here and visit Glacier Lake.
WTA - Mineral Creek Trail Summary & Trip Reports
AllTrails - Mineral Creek Trail Map & Trip Reports
Campsites & Amenities
Campsites: This is a busy area, so if you are here on the weekend I would keep an open mind and budget some time before dark to find a spot since the area you plan on could be full.
-Pete Lake: There are three main camping areas by the lake, each with a short trail that you can see on the map, and a couple more spots along the trail.
The first area is a big open area with tree cover, easy lake access, great views from the lake, a nice beach, and room for lots of tents with no real barriers between sites. There should be a toilet nearby but we didn’t look for it.
The second has just a few secluded sites down a rough trail with some views and lake access. There is a very secluded box toilet down a trail between this and the third area.
The third has several sites spread out a bit, all under tree cover with the sound of the river nearby. There are no views unless you get down to the river where you can see a bit of the mountains if you find the right area. Water access isn’t bad but it depends upon what site.
-Spectacle Lake: Some campsites are on rock so you should be familiar with how to secure a tent with rocks. The main camping areas are scattered about the peninsula and east side of the lake, with a few up on the ridge above the lake. There are no box toilets anymore. There are limited trees so a bear hang is possible but a canister would be much easier. Very little shade and lots of wind.
On the side of the lake sites are fairly spread out. There is lake access in a few spots and a waterfall at the end. This side of the lake also has some great views and is fun to explore. The waterfall is really powerful and feels like the whole lake is trying to empty through it. There is no log jam or anything so be careful if you go in the water near there or have a raft/kayak/paddle board.
Most of the camps on the peninsula have views in some direction and there really isn’t a bad direction with this lake. The west side usually gets the most wind and has harder water access, but the wind also helps a lot with the bugs. A few of the sites on the east side have little “beaches.” The sites are fairly close but the land is anything but flat, making them feel a touch more secluded. We saw a couple of hammocks. The peninsula is only about 200 ft wide so technically you need to go off to pee. The wind was no joke, one of our tents ended up in the shallow pond in the middle and we had to go find some big rocks to make sure everything was secure.
Bathrooms: There is a pit toilet at the trailhead and a couple box toilets at Pete Lake, but none at Spectacle Lake. Catholes are allowed away from water, which means not on the peninsula at Spectacle Lake.
Signage: There were a good number of signs, but there are a lot junctions and social trail, so please bring a map or your navigation method of choice with a backup. A few of the signs were damaged or hard to read.
Wildlife: We saw lots of small critters, tons of birds, and a couple of deer. I have a friend who woke up at Spectacle with a mouse in their tent and we had a chipmunk knock the lid off our bear can while we were relaxing nearby, so watch out. Trees are plentiful at Pete Lake but limited at Spectacle Lake, so a bear-safe container is a good idea.
Campfires: There are stone fire rings at a good number of campsites at Pete Lake but no fires allowed at Spectacle Lake. Please burn (and extinguish) responsibly and adhere to burn bans.
Our Adventure:
We had to cancel this trip last year due to heat and do Goat Rocks instead, so this year we made it our first backpacking trip of the summer. Even a few weeks before our trip there was some serious snow up there so we watched the trip reports and it worked out!
Some memorable moments from the trip:
- Fighter jet flyover
- Ice cold beer that we didn’t have to carry
- Catching a chipmunk on the rim of our bear canister after it knocked the loose lid off
- Friend’s tent getting blown into the pond but it was recoverd and quickly dried
- Warm water wash ups!
- Tiny pinecone underfoot
- The balance beam log crossing on the PCT coming down from Lemah Meadows.
More coming!
This was a hot weekend so I thought a pasta salad would be perfect. I have experimented with cold soaking instant ramen before and decided to do a ramen spin on an antipasto pasta salad. We crunched up the noodles and put a bag in each of our cups, added just enough water to mostly submerge them, and let them sit for 15-30 minutes. In that time they rehydrated completely and all we had to do was drink or drain any extra water and add our flavorings. We opted to chop everything ahead of time so it mixed in better, but for a longer trip you could bring sealed packages, such as parmesan flakes, mini peperoni, snacking olives (Trader Joe’s), and pre-drained artichoke hearts (Trader Joe’s).
- 1 packet instant ramen
- Olives, drained
- Marinated artichoke hearts, drained
- Cheese of choice
- Salami or pepperoni
What to Bring?
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The Basics - Good to have on any hike
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Footwear: We opted for hiking shoes(his/hers) and sandals to wear for the ford and around camp.
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Sleeping Bag: My husband had his Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20° similar bag, and I had my super light sleeping bag with my dog snuggled inside it with me for some extra warmth.
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Sleeping Pad: I used an inflatable one with a built in “pump.” It is super compact and convenient, but a little crinkly.
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Tent: A backpacking tent.
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Camp Stove: We used the stove from this kit along with this pot, fuel, spork, and cup. We love that the pot boils fast, has measurements built in, and the heat sink helps with the wind. We use the cups for hot drinks, cereal, and rehydrating our meals because we really don’t like eating out of the bags and you can save space by removing them from their bags. Make sure you have matches as a backup to the built in stove lighter.
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Food: One of the heaviest things you will carry so only as much as you will eat and a touch extra just in case.
Dinner: I opt for something simple like dehydrated backpacking meals or RiteRice.
Lunch: I like to do some wheat wraps with salami, mustard, and cheese or peanut butter and toasted almond slivers. On this trip we experimented with cold soaked pasta salad and it went pretty well. Details above.
Snacks: I bring nuts, mini microwaved sweet potatoes, sesame sticks, and Larabars.
Breakfast: Muesli and powdered milk, a protein pucks, oatmeal, or overnight oats.
Hot drinks: Tea makes for a great warm beverage that is just as good as home and super light. Hot chocolate or instant coffee can also be nice.
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Light: Make sure you pack a headlamp (plus batteries) and I like to have a small solar light.
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Water Filter: I use a Sawyer Mini Filter with two Cnoc Bags as a gravity system. I also use their valve and a sink/shower. I got a small puncture in one of my bags so I highly recommend carrying a patch and you might want to consider their thicker bag option.
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Extra clothes and layers: It may get windy and it gets cold at night so bring something warm.
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Toilet supplies: A poop kit and I always bring my Kula cloth.
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Hiking Poles: These are great for stability, being able to utilize your arms for a little extra push, and checking for snakes. I trust Black Diamond Standard Poles and own Black Diamond Cork Grip Poles.
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Gloves (optional): I like to wear liner gloves year round when I am using poles because they keep my hands from chaffing and the worst sunburn I’ve ever had on my hands was on the back around where the pole strap goes.
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Bear Canister (optional): There containers are a bit safer than hanging your food (and there aren’t many place to hang food here), but make sure you practice opening them! I have a bit of trouble with BearVault especially when it is cold out. There are a few tricks, like using a credit card that can make it easier.
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Satellite Communication (optional): We took the Motorola Defy on this trip and we loved how small and light it is. We had good connectivity on this trip and all of our messages went through but some went to spam for the recipient. We don’t like that the recipient can’t reply without the app, but the extra step might help people be more careful about using all your messages up.
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