GRANITE FALLS: Goat Lake & Lake 22

Alright, let's do this again because with time you start forgetting all the wonderful trips you've taken. Especially hikes.

This past weekend armed and ready we headed outside of Seattle about 2 hours North to Granite Falls. From there we took the Mountain Loop Highway all the way to the end where we parked at the Goat Lake trailhead. I'd forgotten about this hike but soon remembered its unusually beautiful moss-carpeted path which played like a natural living-room for a family and extended family of mushroom varietals. I'd rename this the Funghi Walk because there are so many.

The 10 mile roundtrip hike was 90% easy-walking, if not a little monotonous in its beauty. That last 10% feels like every other steep switchback hike but it takes you to the source of the amazing waterfalls that you've been hearing for a good part of the hike on your right...Goat Lake. It's expansive and beautifully calm and just around the bend on the opposite end of the lake is the partially melted glacier keeping things cool. The air was especially cooler up there.

We had a lunch pretty much by ourselves as mostly everyone was walking out on a Sunday to get back to their work week. There was a lot of trail maintenance happening in spots but nothing too terrible. Still after the hike we were pretty wiped out...and we don't know why. Maybe it was because I had the full-on heavy boots, or perhaps we just got too early of a start and needed more rest.

Either way we stopped for a bite to eat at Sweet Meats BBQ set up at a vendor booth on Stanley street in Granite Falls. KILLER SMOKED MEAT! Man, that hit the spot...along with a not-so great Americano from the nearby coffeehut...thing...I didn't catch the name but it might be the best place in town, oof. After that we sped to the Cedar Creek Bed and Breakfast. Nice little tucked away house with beautiful gardens and a pleasing bedroom.

Not a lot of choices to stay anywhere up there but this is by far worth an overnighter, especially with another hike in our immediate future. Troy & Michelle were good hosts too.

Next morning after breakfast and some relaxing we headed to a shorter hike at Lake 22 along the Mountain Loop Highway. It's a 5.34 mile round trip with a similar elevation gain of 1300ft as Goat Lake but half the distance...so no real easy stroll but a very nice, and one of the highest maintained trails I've ever seen. Especially at the end when you get to the BOARDWALK circumnavigating almost 50% of the lake. I mean, wow...you'd think they were going to build a resort up there with all the work they've put into it. On top of that the older growth trees and flora was especially attractive in the way that it was growing. A few waterfalls along the way made it seem a little staged and I thought we'd end up walking right into a gift shop or mall because it was a little too perfect.

Anyway good painting opportunities for our next visit abound.

=s=