Lake of the Angels─Hell of a hike to heavenly destination

August 3, 2023 |

You’ll feel like you died (after hiking this trail) and gone to Heaven at Lake of the Angels

Quick Facts:

Location: Hamma Hamma River Valley

Land Agency: Olympic National Forest and Park

Roundtrip: 7.2 miles

Elevation Gain: 3,400 feet

Green Trails Map: Olympic Mountains East 168SX

Recommended Guidebook: Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula 2nd edition (Mountaineers Books)

Access: From Hoodsport, follow US 101 north for 14 miles. Turn left at Milepost 318 onto the Hamma Hamma River Road (FR 25). Continue for 12 miles to the trailhead.

Note: Dogs prohibited at national park boundary (2.8 miles).

Contact: Hood Canal District, Quilcene: (360) 765-2200, or Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center (360) 565-3100: (360) 436-1155; www.nps.gov/olym

Good to know: Wilderness rules apply; wildflowers; camping requires an Olympic National Park wilderness pass, practice Leave No Trace Principles

Cupped in a high cirque on snowy, craggy Mount Skokomish, Lake of the Angels in the Valley of Heaven is one of the prettiest alpine lakes in the Olympics. But getting to this divine destination requires one hell of a hike. The trail is brutally steep, requiring use of hands in one short section over a headwall. It’s not exposed or particularly dangerous, but skittish hikers may want to opt for another trail.

Reach the lake by following the Putvin Trail, named in honor of Carl Putvin, an early pioneer, trapper, and explorer. The way starts off fairly easy, heading alongside tumbling Boulder Creek and crossing two narrow ravines before emerging on an old roadbed. The trail then gets down to business, climbing over 2,000 feet in 1.6 miles.

Soon enter the Mount Skokomish Wilderness. With Whitehorse Creek crashing by your side work your way up—steeply up. After traversing a brushy avalanche chute, reach the base of a large headwall that must be negotiated.

Whitehorse Creek plummets down from it via a series of breathtakingly beautiful cascades. Angle to the northeast and find your passage over the wall via a series of ledges, some requiring handholds. Once over this major “speed bump,” enjoy an alpine world flush with wildflower bursting meadows and frog-fortified tarns. Enjoy views too of imposing Mount Pershing across the Hamma Hamma River valley, and out to Hood Canal and the Cascades in the distance.

At 2.8 miles enter Olympic National Park (dogs prohibited). Cross Whitehorse Creek and make one final steep grunt up snowfields and meadow. Lake of the Angels lies just ahead, perched in an open basin scoured by ice and snow. Cascading waters fed by snowfields stream down the surrounding polished rock faces and terraced ledges. Resident marmots pierce the mountain air with their warning whistles. Descendants of introduced mountain goats cling to craggy walls and wallow in basin flats. The setting is absolutely heavenly.

For more detailed information on this hike and 135 others on the Olympic Peninsula, pick up a copy of my best-selling, most trusted Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula 2nd edition