Two modified canoes, with outriggers and electric motors, are seen resting along the shore below the tent campsites at Walupt Lake, just over 20 miles from State Route 12, ourside Packwood. Several tent campsites are available on the banks of the lake.
When you tell someone who has been to Walupt Lake, that you’re going to Walupt Lake, the response is almost universal: “I love Walupt Lake!”
I have yet to personally meet a single person who claims anything different.
Walupt Lake spans more than 384 acres, and is the second largest lake in the Goat Rocks Wilderness area, and in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest — second only to 452-acre Packwood Lake. Both lakes are in Lewis County, Washington.
Walupt Lake sits an elevation of 3930 ft., and is a 21-mile drive from U.S. Highway 12, via Forest Road 21. The larger, more popular Packwood Lake sits more than 1000 ft. lower in elevation, and about 12 miles below her smaller, lofty sister lake, as the crow flies (a 36-mile drive from Walupt Lake).
Because of the distance and more remote location, Walupt Lake can be a less popular attraction than Packwood Lake for some, though it's likely more popular overall due to driving access. But, with no ATV’s allowed near Walupt Lake, it’s a quieter and more serene option for those who are looking for alpine bliss.
Getting to Walupt Lake was easy, with only a few snow drifts remaining, mostly on eastern facing slopes and hillsides, from the winter of 2014-2015.
The road is mostly gravel, with some pavement as you near the lake, but with lots of potholes, making for slower driving.
The drive was slower than we anticipated, and we had left Chehalis later than planned, so we stopped and set up camp for the night along the banks of Middle Fork Johnson Creek, below Mission Creek near where Deception Creek joins Johnson Creek, and F.S. Road 2130.
After breakfast next to the creek, we continued up F.S. Road 21 until we reached Walupt Lake and Walupt Lake Campground. It was only about 11 a.m. when we arrived at the lake, and it was so quiet that we opted to not disturb the tent campers, and headed about a quarter of a mile back down the road to the Walupt Lake Horse Camp, and parked near the Coleman Weedpatch trailhead.
Hoping to catch a view of Walupt Creek Falls, we headed the direction of the creek through the woods. There is no defined trail to the elusive falls, and it was a wet and marshy hike through brush and rough terrain. We finally made it to the creek, and followed it to the 221-foot-high set of falls, but the creek was still too swift this early in the spring to safely traverse down to the base of the falls.
After getting back to the horse camp, we headed back to the lake to make lunch and regroup. We settled at an open picnic table near the edge of the lake, in a shady, wooded patch. Standing on the shore of the lake, the water is so clear, you can see the gradual decline in the sandy bank, before a dramatic drop off where the water turns to a rich blue green color. The breeze blowing off of the water was crisp, and the jarring “yank-yank” song of a distant red-breasted nuthatch was the only thing interrupting the almost complete silence.
After lunch, we grabbed our day packs and headed down the Walupt Lake Trail #101, which starts at the campground. This trail 9-mile loop trail also provides access to the trail leading to Sheep Lake and Nannie Ridge, and the Pacific Crest Trail No. 2000. We only traveled a short distance down the trail, and I look forward to returning to spend more time on the complete loop.
For those who are interested in historical and anthropological connections, Walupt Lake served as an important fishing and hunting ground for several indigenous peoples, including the Yakama, the Klickitat and Cowlitz Indian Tribes. Geological and anthropological finds in the region, such as Layser Cave near the Cispus Learning Center, indicate Native Americans inhabited the Gifford Pinchot area as far back as some 7,000 years ago, with some periods of inactivity following the same timelines as known major geological events in the region.
A day trip, weekend, or extended stay could easily be planned at Walupt Lake, with nearby hiking options all around, of varying distances and difficulty levels. We plan on returning to hike to Glacier Lake in the near future (off of F.S. Road 21), and I would love to work up to being able to tackle the 12 mile round-trip hike to Sheep Lake and Nannie Ridge.
Even if you aren’t interested in serious hiking, or don’t enjoy hiking at all, Walupt Lake offers lots of other options for individuals, couples and families, including trout fishing, kayaking and canoeing options, horseback riding trails (stock watering areas, etc.), and a peaceful experience in some of the Pacific Northwest’s most pristine nature.
Definitely consider adding Walupt Lake to your Lewis County “bucket list,” and check out the included interactive map for additional information.
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Brittany Voie is a columnist for The Chronicle.
