Boulder Lake—trail to this Sultan Basin Lake once again open!
Quick Facts:
Location: Sultan Basin
Land Agency: Washington Department of Natural Resources
Roundtrip: 13.8 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,140 feet
Green Trails Map: Index WA- No. 142
Notes: Dogs must be on leash; All hikers are required to stop and register (no fee) at kiosk at Olney Pass upon entering Sultan Basin Watershed.
Access: From Everett follow US 2 east to Sultan. At a traffic light east of the town turn left onto Sultan Basin Road. Follow for 13.25 miles to an information kiosk. Continue 500 feet farther to a Y-intersection bearing right onto FR 61. Reach Trailhead in 5.3 miles.
Contact: Snohomish County PUD; www.snopud.com
Good to Know: dog-friendly (on leash), backpacking opportunities, old-growth forest
The Sultan Basin a beautiful and rugged area along the Cascade Front close to the population centers of Puget Sound. Cradling the Spada Reservoir, Everett’s municipal water supply, the Sultan Basin also contains a couple of pristine lakes tucked within its heavily timbered ridges. A good portion of the steep hills surrounding the reservoir were logged during the last century, but the rough divide known as Greider Ridge was spared the axe and 6,700-acres of it was declared a Natural Resources Conservation Area. Here you’ll find the beautiful Greider Lakes and Boulder Lake surrounded by ancient forest. They’re accessible by trail—that’s the good news. But after the decommissioning of a large portion of the access road leading to their trailheads—hiking to these lakes now requires much more time and energy. Come prepared for a long hike—but the lakes, particularly Boulder Lake are still a worthy destination. And if the hike is too long to tackle in a day, there are some fine campsites at Boulder beckoning you to spend the evening.
Start by walking on decommissioned road, the culprit for the huge mileage increase on this hike. At 1.8 miles pass the former trailhead for Greider Lakes. Continue straight on the decommissioned road for another 1.3 miles finally reaching the former trailhead for Boulder Lake. DNR has just recently replaced the bridge and once again began maintaining this wonderful trail. Now enjoy it soon entering magnificent old-growth forest. Climbing steadily but never steeply up the Boulder Creek Valley the trail traverses several open slopes granting good views of the surrounding countryside on its way to the lake. And being in the heart of the Puget Sound Convergence Area means lots of snow patches early in the season. Watch your step and be sure to note old blazes indicating the route. Cross a couple of saturated bogs on cedar planked boardwalks and continue upward under an impressive canopy of ancient conifers.
Reach Boulder Lake at its babbling outlet next to prime lakeside campsites (camping is only allowed from June 15 to Oct 15) and lunch spots. Plop yourself down on a patch of grassy shoreline and stare out across striking azure waters. When the air is calm, admire reflections of the jagged ridges surrounding the lake basin. You may very well be the only hiker at this delightful destination, but chances are good you’re not the only visitor. Bear sightings are frequent at Boulder Lake. There’s just not enough human activity here to concern them!
For more information on other great hikes nearby and along the US 2 corridor, pick up a copy of my Day Hiking Central Cascades book (Mountaineers Books).
