Trap Lake (5,517') is located 4.75 miles from Tunnel Creek Trailhead in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The Tunnel Creek Trail climbs 1170' in 1.45 miles to reach the PCT at Hope Lake. The PCT turns south through scenic intervals of forest, meadow and big open slopes to the unmarked spur down to Trap Lake.

An unmarked but intuitively located spur splits off the PCT and drops 150' in .25 miles to Trap Lake

Leaves change color in the fall as chlorophyll production slows and less dominate pigments can be seen; carotenoids produce orange and yellow colors, while reds and purples come from anthocyanins, a pigment formed when sugars break down in bright sunlight

Fall is arguably the best time to visit Hope Lake, when its oft-damp shore firms up and mosquitoes are no longer a nuisance

The PCT runs approximately 67 miles through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness from Snoqualmie Pass (south) to Stevens Pass (north)

The Tunnel Creek Trail climbs 1170' in 1.45 miles to reach Hope Lake and the PCT, just inside the Alpine Lakes Wilderness boundary

The 3.3 mile section between Hope and Trap lakes passes through notably diverse terrain with good views, abundant berries and wildlife viewing opportunities

Open space is limited at Trap Lake, but a level, grassy area near the outlet has room for 2+ tents with easy access for anglers

The word marmot is derived from the Latin 'mures montani', and from Old Franco-Provencal 'marmotaine', both meaning mountain mouse (source: ncascades.org)

The Alpine Lakes Wilderness covers approximately 394,000 acres accessed by 47 trailheads and 615 miles of trail

Trapper Creek forms at Trap Lake and joins Leland Creek just before spilling into Icicle Creek

The trail opens for .3 miles across steep, open slopes over Trapper Creek; this food-rich habitat is a good place to find deer and bear

Westslope Cutthroats are native to Washington; they occur naturally on the east side of the Cascades, and prefer pristine headwater streams and alpine lakes

By fall most swales along the way are dry enough to camp on, but water availability and quality is iffy

Steep slopes, talus and thick bands of krummholz restrict movement around Trap Lake

Explore hidden meadows and outlying ponds at Hope Lake