Swimming, fishing, and lakeside camping draw hikers to Blue Lake BackCountry Campsites, a hike-in destination set within Mt. Baker National Forest outside Concrete, Washington. The trail runs roughly 1.5 miles to the lake, making it one of the shorter backpacking approaches in the area and a workable first trip for families with young children. Multiple tent sites are available near the water, and a vault toilet is on-site. Huckleberries grow along the route in summer.
Access has a significant complication worth noting before you go. The bridge over the Nooksack River on Forest Service Road 12 has been out for several years, with no repair planned, adding approximately 3 miles of road walking before the trailhead even begins. Those exploring camping near Mt. Baker National Forest may want to weigh this added distance against nearby alternatives like Baker Lake / Middle Fork Nooksack, which some campers have turned to when the road situation proved impassable.
Description
One of several Blue Lakes in Washington State, this Blue Lake lies about four and a half miles south of Mount Baker and requires less than a mile of hiking to reach it. Its translucent blue-green colors peek out beneath the shadows of a sheer rock wall partially encircling the lake, a reward for conquering the somewhat eroded and rooty trail that leads to it. Families, anglers, and hikers looking to experience a pretty subalpine lake will enjoy this short, yet memorable hike. There are several short social trails within this area, most leading to campsites, water sources, and brushy dead ends.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsBlue Lake BackCountry Campsites is located in Washington near Concrete
Directions
Take I-5 to exit 230 for Highway 20 East. Continue for 22.5 miles, following the signs for Highway 20 East. About 0.15 miles past a brown sign for Baker Lake Sno-Park, turn left onto signed Baker Lake Road (Forest Road 11). Continue for 12 miles on Baker Lake Road. Just past Rocky Creek Bridge, turn left onto unsigned Forest Road 12. Continue on Forest Road 12 for 3.5 miles. Reach a junction and continue straight, following the sign for Blue Lake. After another 3.2 miles, turn left at the sign for Blue Lake onto Forest Road 1230. Continue on Forest Road 1230 for 3.6 miles, staying on the main road to the trailhead and parking lot. There is room for roughly 15 cars and there is a vault toilet at the trailhead.
Coordinates
48.65650011 N
121.7723 W
Connectivity
T-MobileNo Coverage
VerizonLTESome Coverage- AT&TNo Coverage
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonLTESome Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Access
- Hike-InBackcountry sites.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
Features
For Campers
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
Drive Time
- 1 hr 36 min from Mount Vernon, WA
- 1 hr 48 min from Bellingham, WA
- 2 hrs 29 min from Seattle, WA
- 3 hrs 27 min from Bremerton, WA
