Eagle Lake & Paradise Meadow Backdoor

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Our Hiking Time: 3h
Total Ascent: 500ft
Highest Point: 3900ft
Total Distance: 4 miles
Location: N 47° 47.668, W 121° 24.752
Required Permit: None
Difficulty: Easy

A few months ago we decided that we wanted to return to Barclay Lake and tackle the reportedly rough approach up to Eagle Lake. On our last trip we noted the unmarked junction, but decided to leave it for another day. When we were gearing up, we saw that there was a “backdoor” approach to the lake that piqued our interest. Still unmarked, this route had the advantage of being a little shorter and a new area to explore.

Back around the 1920s, prospectors patented a claim in the area around Eagle Lake and spent some time looking to strike it rich. The prospectors struck out, but soon after a gentleman by the name of Ole Stone built the Eagle Lake Cabin and lent his name to nearby Stone Lake. He also built cabins at both ends of Barclay Lake, kept the cabins well-supplied on his own dime and even maintained the trails from Baring up to Eagle Lake. Stone built the Barclay cabins for public use and eventually turned them over to the Forest Service, while reserving the Eagle Lake cabin for himself and his friends.

Perhaps because of Stone’s devotion to the area, for decades it was a favorite destination for the anglers, hikers, and backpackers willing to make the roughly 6.5 mile hike from Baring up to Barclay Lake. Things changed when timber companies began logging Barclay Creek valley in the late 1960s. Not only did the clear cutting practices radically change the landscape, but logging roads were cut more than 4 miles up the valley, making the once-remote Barclay Lake much easier to reach. The logging roads brought many more visitors to the area, and the Barclay Lake cabins could not stand up to all that extra wear and tear.  It wasn't long before they had to be removed.  At the same time, the trail up to Eagle Lake was largely abandoned. Today, while the same roads still lead many hikers and campers to Barclay Lake, only an intrepid few make it up to Eagle Lake.

From the roadside the rough trail begins by plunging into a second generation forest, heading uphill over rocks and roots. Soon pass into the Wild Sky Wilderness under an increasingly dense canopy of hemlock and fir for about two miles before reaching an unmarked junction. The trail to the left heads down to Stone and Barclay Lake. Keep right and continue into the beginnings of Paradise Meadow, shedding some of the forest for fields of huckleberry and heather. Creeklets cut across the fading trail for the next half mile as you approach the lakeshore.

Once you reach Eagle Lake, follow well-trodden bootpaths to the cabin to take in the setting. That’s Merchant Peak to the west, flanked by Townsend Mountain to the northeast. There are faint scrambles that you can follow to reach these summits, but they are involve some bushwhacking and route finding and are best left to the most adventurous of us. Settle in to enjoy this little slice of wilderness. When exploring the lake and the cabin, note that the cabin is stocked by the generosity of your fellow hikers. If you use something, replace it. Keep in mind that someone might have already claimed the cabin for the night, so not everything you find is necessarily up for grabs.

This is a fun hike if you’re looking to get a little off the beaten path. It’s unmarked and under the radar, which means you’re not likely to have much company. At the same time, that means the trail is a bit narrow and can get slightly overgrown. Still, a steady stream of folks keep the route reasonably clear and easy enough to follow. If you can swing it, consider a mid-week overnight when you’re likely to get access to the cabin and the sprawling night sky all to yourself.

From Monroe, head east on Hwy 2 to Skykomish. Just past mile post 49, turn left on Beckler Road, also designated as FR-65. Reset your odometer after turning onto FR-65. Go 0.7 miles on Beckler Road and turn left on FR-6510. About 1 mile later, veer left onto FR-6514. Go another 3.6 miles and veer right on FR-6514. Continue 1.3 miles to an unmarked fork and veer left. Two-tenths of a mile later, come to a parking area marked with a National Forest Wilderness sign at a hairpin turn. There is parking for 6-7 cars, but no privy. If you reach a 'T' intersection, you've gone too far.

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Barclay Lake Trail #1055

Our Hiking Time: 2h
Total Ascent: 225ft
Highest Point: 2500ft
Total Distance: 4.4 miles
Location: N 47° 47.0400, W 121° 25.5000
Required Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Difficulty: Easy

Although we’re still not completely done with everything we want to do in the I-90 corridor, our focus is slowly shifting northward. Our hike this week was another tentative foray down Highway 2 in search of a new swath of forest to explore. We found exactly what we were looking for in a short hike out to Barclay Lake and an official introduction to the Wild Sky Wilderness.

The 106,577-acre Wild Sky Wilderness is less than ten years old, and parts of it are still winding through the bureaucratic process of being turned over to the Forest Service. Some portions of the Wild Sky are still old growth and truly wild, while others have been logged as recently as the late-60s. In doing a little research, we found that Barclay Lake was not our first time in the Wild Sky Wilderness, which evidently also encompasses Lake Isabel as well.

The Barclay Creek Trail #1055 sits at the end of Forest Road 6024, and is a largely flat, simple trail that follows Barclay Creek for a little over 2 miles to its source, Barclay Lake. Wide and well groomed, the trail wanders past root-wrapped rocks, venerable hemlocks, and moss carpeted undergrowth. Cedar boardwalks occasionally keep boots out of marshy stretches in the trail, and a sturdy log bridge spans Barclay Creek as you approach the lake. Gunn Peak flanks the trail to the north, eventually giving rise to Merchant Peak as you near Barclay Lake. Occasionally Baring Mountain can be seen through the trees, waiting to reveal its craggy features once you reach the lakeside.

Barclay Lake lies in a quiet bowl between Merchant Peak and Baring Mountain, somehow giving one the feeling of being deep in the wilderness. Between the well-maintained trail and abundance of campsites – not to mention two pit toilets – it’s clear that Barclay Lake gets a lot of visitors in the warmer months. Standing on the lakeshore it is not hard to understand why. Not only is it peaceful, but the dramatic spire of Baring dominates the scene. Moreover, a short trail capable of transporting the whole family into the wilderness with the minimum of effort adds to the allure. For those looking to climb Baring or continue on to bigger adventures, Barclay Lake makes for a great base camp. For our part, this little trail exposed us to the Wild Sky Wilderness and the potential for dozens of hikes in the immediate vicinity, many of which are sure to be challenging and a bit off the beaten path.

To get there, take Highway 2 to Baring. Near milepost 41 and across from a store, turn left onto 635th up and over the railroad tracks. Asphalt will quickly turn to gravel before shortly coming to a junction. Turn left up Forest Road 6024 and proceed for 4.2 miles to the trailhead at roads end. -Nathan