August 8, 2026

My friend Ellery, his dog Taco and I hiked from Alpental past Snow Lake and on up to Gem Lake. Snow Lake is the one everybody knows, and plenty of people stop there. Gem Lake is about two miles beyond the junction past Snow Lake, through a couple of big rock fields.

Trail details

It's about 10 miles round trip to Gem Lake with 2,800 feet of gain and a high point of 4,857 feet, and WTA rates it hard. If you stop at Snow Lake, it's 7.2 miles round trip with 1,800 feet of gain. From I-90 exit 52, head north under the freeway and follow the road to the end at the Alpental ski area parking lot; the trail starts at the north end of the lot. You need a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass, and dogs are allowed on leash (checked November 2026). WTA calls Snow Lake the most heavily used trail in a Washington wilderness area, so the lot fills early on weekends. The trail is rocky, and there's a 400-foot drop to Snow Lake that you have to climb back out of on the way home.

Ellery and Taco on the trail above Gem Lake, with a forested hill and a pale talus slope across the deep blue water

Snow Lake

The first part of the trail climbs through forest and across a talus slope, then over a saddle and down to Snow Lake. It's a big lake under steep rock walls, and a few people had tents set up along the shore.

Looking down through subalpine firs to tents along the shore of Snow Lake

On to Gem Lake

From Snow Lake, the trail follows the shore and then turns uphill toward Gem Lake. It climbs for about a mile through subalpine firs, small meadows and tarns.

A dirt trail through bright green subalpine firs, with a rock face showing through the treesTaco heading down a rooty trail toward a small tarn, with a lake and a rocky peak beyond

The trail crosses big rock fields on the way up, with talus pouring down from the ridge.

A huge slope of pale talus below a rocky ridge lined with evergreensA narrow trail crossing a meadow toward a talus field below a forested rocky ridge

Gem Lake

Gem Lake sits higher than Snow Lake, at the foot of Wright Mountain, with talus slopes running right down to the water. The water was clear enough to see the rocks on the bottom, and the shallows turned bright blue.

Clear blue water at Gem Lake with rings spreading across the surface and rocks visible belowRocks under clear, still water along the lakeshore, with cliffs and evergreens reflected on the surfaceA big boulder on the rocky lakeshore with forested hills across the water

More hikes

For another lake hike with Ellery and Taco, see Hester Lake via Dingford Creek, or browse more Washington hikes.

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