Interestingly, Big Hidden Lake drains north to Canada while the rest of the lakes drain south to the Methow via Lost River. The Pasayten’s Hidden Lakes, an unexpected trip.įar up the Lost River Valley of the Pasayten, only 10 miles south of the Canadian border, lie a chain of four gorgeous lakes: Cougar Lake, First Hidden Lake, Middle Hidden Lake, and Big Hidden Lake. Huge country!Īt the very end of August, I spent 6 days backpacking over 80 miles inside the Pasayten, first completing a stunning solo backpack loop around Devil’s Dome on its west side, then joining up with a friend to explore around the Hidden Lakes of the central Pasayten. Panorama of the Pasayten from Horseshoe Basin in the east. Wandering this country gives you a glimpse of what frontier life might have been like. The wildness of the Pasayten is unparalleled in Washington and when you step inside its boundaries, it’s a place without time.

It’s home to an astounding array of wildlife, including the largest population of lynx in the lower 48 as well as deer, moose, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and wolves. It’s no secret to most who know me that the Pasayten Wilderness, which spans over 531,000 acres on Washington’s northeast border with Canada, is one of my favorite places to explore.įull of gorgeous lakes, high alpine tundra, and nearly 150 peaks over 7,500′ in elevation, the Pasayten’s biodiversity is a marvel. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.

Hidden lake lookout trail