than it was on the trail. You soon cross two small creeks and then ascend rather steeply on a mostly rocky slope before passing on the south side of a small knoll. Continue west, now on more level terrain, and make your way gradually uphill, going west-southwest another 0.5 mile until you reach the drainage of Basalt Creek in the lower reaches of Cowlitz Park. On your left is a steep cliff over which creeks tumble in long drops. The most impressive of these cataracts is Trixie Falls on a small side stream feeding into Basalt Creek. Some of the best camps (there are no official or established sites in this off-trail zone) are along the lower reaches of the creek well above the cliffs. As always, choose a site well away from water and with a hard surface to avoid damaging the fragile alpine vegetation. You should expect to spend considerable time looking for a suitable site. It is worthwhile to explore the upper reaches of Cowlitz Park to enjoy its fine views of Mount Rainier and plentiful wildflowers.
If you have a permit to stay at Indian Bar, continue on the Wonderland Trail from the meadow where the Cowlitz Park route took off, and go downhill at a moderately steep grade until you come to the south end of Indian Bar. Just before the trail crosses the Ohanapecosh River, which here is only a creek, a trail goes left to a picturesque stone shelter. Camping here is generally restricted to groups of six or more people. The main trail crosses the “river” just above where the water plunges over thunderous Wauhaukaupauken Falls. Unfortunately, it is almost as hard to get a good look at the falls as it is to spell the name. Immediately after the crossing, a signed trail goes right on its way to the designated campsites of Indian Bar.
After setting up camp, take the time to do a bit of exploring. At a minimum, walk up the Wonderland Trail across the lovely and amazingly flat expanse of Indian Bar, with its waving grasses, gravel beds, and acres of wildflowers. The surrounding cliffs and ridges that enclose the basin host several impressive but unnamed waterfalls on small creeks that drain from the permanent snowfields and small glacier above. If you have the energy for a longer adventure, continue on the Wonderland Trail as it ascends a ridge above the green expanse of Ohanapecosh Park and then climbs over rocks and semipermanent snowfields to the views from Panhandle Gap, 3 miles from Indian Bar. Keep an eye out for wildlife, as Panhandle Gap is one of the better places in the park to see mountain goats.
WARNING Although the route to Panhandle Gap is very scenic, the way is often covered with snow and difficult to follow before about mid-August.
Mount Rainier from Peak 5,930 along Cowlitz Divide, Mount Rainier National Park
photo by Douglas Lorain
| 7 | Dumbbell and Sand Lakes Loop |
| RATINGS | Scenery 6 Difficulty 6 Solitude 6 | |
| ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE | 11.3 miles | |
| ELEVATION GAIN | 1,550' | |
| OPTIONAL MAP | Green Trails White Pass (No. 303) | |
| USUALLY OPEN | Mid-July–October | |
| BEST TIME | Late August–early September; early–mid-October | |
| AGENCY | Naches Ranger District (Wenatchee National Forest), 509-653-1401, fs.usda.gov/ recarea/okawen/recarea/ ?recid=58395 | |
| PERMIT | No permit required. Northwest Forest Pass required. |
Highlights
The southern William O. Douglas Wilderness is a relatively gentle landscape of countless lakes, wonderful meadows, and attractive forests. Perhaps the area’s most outstanding feature, however, becomes evident only from very late September through mid-October, when the millions of huckleberry bushes lining its lakes and meadows turn bright orange and red, putting on one of the better fall-color displays in our region. Fortuitously, this is also a time when crowds are few and the mosquitoes, which can be voracious in July and early August, are nearly gone. Late August to early September is also a nice time to visit, as the lakes are reasonably warm for swimming and you can feast on all those ripe huckleberries.
Getting There
From I-5, 67 miles north of Vancouver, Washington, take Exit 68 and travel 85 miles east on US 12 to White Pass. Continue east another 2.1 miles, then turn left into the signed Dog Lake Campground. The unpaved campground loop road passes the signed trailhead on the right after 0.1 mile.
GPS COORDINATES N46° 39.274' W121° 21.621'
Hiking It
The trail starts in a relatively open midelevation forest of mixed conifers with plenty of huckleberries, fireweed, grouse whortleberries, and numerous other low-growing flowers and shrubs scattered about on the forest floor. After just 0.1 mile of uphill hiking, you reach a fork at the start of the loop.
Bear right onto the Cramer Lake Trail and follow this wide, horse-pounded path as it traces a gentle course 1.2 miles to a camp immediately before a bridgeless crossing of North Fork Clear Creek. There is usually a log you can scoot across here (you might have to go upstream a bit to find one that’s comfortable), but if that is missing, the creek crossing is generally an easy calf-deep ford. (Make sure you familiarize yourself with the proper way to safely ford a creek.)
After crossing the creek, the trail makes a gradual uphill traverse of a mostly forested hillside and then turns north and wanders gently uphill to Cramer Lake at 3.2 miles. The trail stays in the forest, so far back from this good-sized and attractive lake that it is easy to walk right past it without noticing. The lake is worth a visit, however, so watch carefully and follow any of several sketchy trails that branch right and lead to this forest-rimmed gem. It has a fine campsite at its northwest end.
Just beyond Cramer Lake is a junction at the southeast corner of a lush, grassy meadow. Watch for deer and elk here, especially early in the morning. This is only the first of several forest-rimmed meadows you will visit over the next few miles. All of these meadows feature plenty of wildflowers in mid- to late July and bright red and orange huckleberry bushes in early October. Keep straight at the junction and walk around the southwest side of the small meadow, coming to a second junction immediately after crossing a tiny creek. Turn left and climb a little more before catching a glimpse of large Dumbbell Lake. Unfortunately, this glimpse is all you will see of this scenic lake for some time, as the trail stays in the forest well back from the lake; instead, you pass several small but attractive ponds. After 0.4 mile you pass two unsigned but obvious use paths going left. These lead to well-located but somewhat exposed campsites near the northwest end of Dumbbell Lake.
The main trail finally approaches Dumbbell Lake at its northwest tip, where there is a (faintly) signed junction for Long John Trail. Go straight and follow a gentle path past more ponds and meadows 0.3 mile to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Turn left (south) on this wide and well-graded trail, and walk 0.3 mile to beautiful, meadow-lined Buesch Lake. The trail skirts the north and west sides of the lake, passing a short side trail that leads to an exceptionally nice campsite above the west shore.
The PCT now climbs away from Buesch Lake, gradually ascending 0.8 mile to a broad pass with two shallow ponds before coming to a signed junction with the faint Cortright Creek Trail. Keep straight on the PCT and go gradually up and down 1.6 miles past tiny ponds and small meadows to a fine camp at a large and scenic pond just to the right (west) of the trail. From here you go downhill to a junction beside Sand Lake. The water in this lake recedes dramatically by late summer, reducing its attractiveness.
Keep left at the junction, still