Lake Laura Backdoor

Snoqualmie Region

A short, beautiful, but very steep unofficial bootpath to Lake Laura and Lake Lillian, this route gets you there in a quarter of the time, but breathing just as hard. A much more forgiving access to Lake Lillian is the official trailhead.

From where you park your car, starts out in heavy brush, following a bootpath across a creek and beginning to climb steeply. It's a very steep fisherman's path, more like a class 2 scramble. You will likely need to maintain three points of contact going up and down.

In about a mile, you get to Lake Laura, small but pretty. Continuing to the right, after another half a mile, arrive at Lake Lillian, medium-sized and very pretty. It is possible to continue to Rampart Lakes from here. 

Lake Laura Backdoor

Map & Directions

Getting There

Drive I-90 east to Exit 54, signed for Hyak. Cross under the freeway, then turn right onto FR 4832. Continue until the pavement ends and the road turns uphill, then proceed to the fourth sharp turn, where road FR 136 branches off to the left. Continue on FR 136, keeping right at a fork. The road ends and trail begins at the end of the valley. The road used to switchback to the southeast but is now overgrown. No parking permit required. No toilet facilities.