Packwood Lake and the Coyote Trail Loop
I did a 3-day trip to a new area for me. I backpacked into Packwood Lake for two nights, an easy and relatively flat four mile hike. On the free day I dayhiked the long loop (about 16 miles) continuing up the Packwood Lake trail, turning right on the Coyote Trail to Packwood Saddle, and then turning right again on the Upper Lake Creek trail back to Packwood Lake.
Packwood Lake is large - almost two miles long and maybe a half mile wide
The historic guard station, built in 1910
My camp at about mid-lake
A Packwood Lake sunset
I was off the next morning, and 2000 feet up and slightly off my route is Lost Lake
On and on through the forest, wet with condensation, by boots and pants soaked, I finally start to reach alpine areas
Looking across at the upper areas of Upper Lake Creek. No trails in that valley but the PCT crosses above, in the clouds in this photo
The Coyote Trail continues across this mountain face
Trail across a landslide, about one third down from the top - it felt a lot steeper than this looks
Towering rocks on the ridge above. Chimney Rock is at the top, though not visible here
Eventually you traverse onto the ridge
The view directly across from the Coyote Trail
Down at Packwood Saddle
Back down in the valley next to Upper Lake Creek
And miles of flat hiking to get back to Packwood Lake
And another Packwood Lake sunset after a hard day on the trail
