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Chain Lakes Loop Trail
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Chain Lakes Loop Trail, with Mount Baker towering overhead.
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Trailhead to the Chain Lakes Loop is located just off the Artist Point parking lot.
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Chain Lakes Loop Trail
The Chain Lakes Loop Trail is one of the most popular hikes in the Artist Point and Heather Meadows area of Washington’s Mount Baker region. This scenic loop takes hikers through rugged alpine terrain, wildflower meadows, mountain lakes and dramatic viewpoints of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan. One of the things that makes this trail so special is that the views are remarkable throughout nearly the entire hike.
We recommend starting the Chain Lakes Loop Trail at the Artist Point parking area. Beginning here places hikers immediately in the heart of the high country, with outstanding views of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan right from the start. From Artist Point, the trail begins traversing beneath Table Mountain before continuing toward the Chain Lakes. The full loop is approximately 6.5 miles long, with about 1,800 feet of elevation gain.
Along the route, hikers pass several beautiful mountain lakes, including Mazama Lakes, Iceberg Lake and Hayes Lake. These lakes are surrounded by steep mountain slopes and provide excellent places to stop for a break. The trail also passes through open meadows that are often filled with wildflowers during the summer months. As hikers continue around the loop, the surrounding mountain scenery remains impressive almost every step of the way.
One of the highlights of the hike is Herman Saddle, which provides outstanding views across the surrounding North Cascades. From this high point, hikers can look toward Mount Shuksan, Mount Baker and the rugged peaks stretching across the horizon. The trail then descends toward Bagley Lakes and Heather Meadows before climbing back toward Artist Point.
With mountain lakes, alpine meadows and remarkable mountain views from beginning to end, the Chain Lakes Loop Trail is definitely one of the highlights of the Artist Point area. We love this hike.
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The first section of Chain Lakes Loop Trail provides outstanding views of Mount Baker.
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First section of the Chain Lakes Loop Trail provides outstanding views of Mount Baker. One of the reasons we recommend that hikers start at Artist Point is because the morning sun is best for photographing Mount Baker and the surrounding area.
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First section of the Chain Lakes Loop
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Chain Lakes Loop Trail Description
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- Recommended Trailhead: Artist Point parking area.
- Distance: 6.5 miles round trip.
- Elevation Gain: approximately 1,820 feet.
- Highest Point: Approximately 5,400 feet at Herman Saddle.
- Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous, with several sustained climbs and descents.
- Major Highlights: Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, Table Mountain, Herman Saddle, Bagley Lakes, Mazama Lake, Iceberg Lake, Hayes Lake, alpine meadows and sweeping views of the North Cascades.
- Herman Saddle: One of the major high points of the hike, providing outstanding views of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan and the surrounding North Cascades.
- Trail Conditions: Much of the route travels through open alpine terrain with limited shade. Snow may remain on portions of the trail well into the summer.
- Best Time to Hike: Typically July through early October, depending on snow conditions and when the road to Artist Point is open.
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Why start at Artist Point?
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REASON #1:
This gives you the opportunity to end your hike at Bagley Lake/Heather Meadows. That way you don't have to hike all they way back up to Artist Point on a trail that is right next to the highway. Either use two vehicles or hitch a ride back to Artist Point after reaching the Bagley Lakes area. Doing this avoids roughly 900 feet of additional elevation gain on a trail that is right next to the highway, and saves you about 1.5 miles of hiking.
REASON #2:
By starting at Artist Point, you are starting high and ending low. If you start at Bagley Lake/Heather Meadows, you are starting at the lowest elevation possible, and right out of the gate you have to march uphill all the way to Herman Saddle. This section of the trail is by far better hiking DOWN it instead of UP it.
REASON #3:
By starting at Artist Point, THE ICONIC VIEWS OF MOUNT BAKER AND MOUNT SHUKSAN ARE IN FRONT OF YOU INSTEAD OF BEHIND YOU!
REASON #4:
By starting at Artist Point, presumably in the morning, the sun is in the optimum location for great views and photos of Mount Baker as you make your way along the trail. Then, by the time you reach Herman Saddle, the sun will be in a good spot for enjoying the views of Mount Shuksan.
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Chain Lakes Loop Trail Map.
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Can We Talk?
Once you reach Herman Saddle (mile 4), we recommend turning around and hiking back to the Artist Point parking lot rather than continuing down toward the Heather Meadows Visitor Center. From Herman Saddle, the trail drops roughly 1,000 vertical feet to the visitor center. If your vehicle is parked at Artist Point, you will then have to hike the Wild Goose Trail back to your car, which climbs approximately 550 vertical feet in just 0.7 mile. And to make things worse, the Wild Goose Trail follows the highway most of the way back to Artist Point.
In our opinion, that extra descent and climb simply isn't worth it. The hike down is long and can be tough on your legs, and then you are faced with a steep uphill climb back to Artist Point. After already hiking several miles on the Chain Lakes Loop, that final climb can feel pretty miserable.
Another reason we like turning around at Herman Saddle is that you are really not missing much by doing so. The view from Herman Saddle is outstanding, and the scenery does not change dramatically as you make the long descent toward Heather Meadows. You are essentially looking at the same general mountain scenery the entire way down.
THE DOWNSIDE IS THIS: By turning around at Herman Saddle (mile 4), your total hiking distance becomes approximately 8 miles round trip. This means you are adding about 1.5 miles compared with continuing down to Heather Meadows and taking the Wild Goose Trail back to Artist Point. HOWEVER, those extra 1.5 miles allow you to avoid losing roughly 1,000 vertical feet and then climbing another 550 vertical feet at the end of your hike, when your legs are already tired. For us, that is a very worthwhile tradeoff.
By turning around at Herman Saddle, you still experience one of the best viewpoints on the entire hike while avoiding a lot of unnecessary elevation loss and a steep final climb. We think this makes the hike much more enjoyable, especially when your vehicle is waiting for you at Artist Point.
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Chain Lakes Loop Trail Map. By turning around at Herman Saddle, you are avoiding a lot of vertical elevation gain and loss, while not missing any of the highlights of the hike.
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A view of Mount Baker along the Chain Lakes Loop Trail.
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Trail junction that begins the Ptarmigan Ridge Trail toward Mount Baker. Stay right to stay on the Chain Lakes Loop Trail.
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Another great view along the Chain Lakes Loop Trail.
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This section of the Chain Lakes Loop marks the descent down to the lakes.
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This section of the Chain Lakes Loop marks the descent down to the lakes. This is the view looking back up the slope.
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Getting close to the first set of lakes along the Chain Lakes Loop.
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Finally reaching the first set of lakes, known as the Mazama Lakes, along the Chain Lakes Loop.
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Iceberg Lake along the Chain Lakes Loop. This is the largest lake in the chain.
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Iceberg Lake along the Chain Lakes Loop.
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Another angle of Iceberg Lake as the Chain Lakes Loop Trail wraps around it.
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Hayes Lake along the Chain Lakes Loop.
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A look at the Chain Lakes Area via Google Earth.
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A glimpse of Iceberg Lake as we make our way up to Herman Saddle along the Chain Lakes Loop.
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Shannon almost to Herman Saddle along the Chain Lakes Loop.
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Final photo of the west side before reaching Herman Saddle along the Chain Lakes Loop. Iceberg Lake and Mount Baker are to our backs.
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Herman Saddle along the Chain Lakes Loop, with Mount Shuksan of North Cascades National Park dominating the skyline to the east. At 5,400 feet, this is the highest point on the Chain Lakes Loop Trail.
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Herman Saddle along the Chain Lakes Loop, with Mount Shuksan of North Cascades National Park dominating the skyline to the east. Far below us is Heather Meadows and Bagley Lake, which marks the end of the hike.
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Here's another shot from Herman Saddle along the Chain Lakes Loop, with Mount Shuksan of North Cascades National Park dominating the skyline to the east. Far below us is Heather Meadows and Bagley Lake, which marks the end of the hike.
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Shannon heading down the long gradual descent down to Heather Meadows and Bagley Lake.
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Shannon heading down the long gradual descent down to Heather Meadows and Bagley Lake.
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Heather Meadows and Bagley Lake.
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Heather Meadows and Bagley Lake.
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Shannon at Bagley Lake in Heather Meadows. We consider this spot to be the end of the Chain Lakes Loop Trail. There is a trail that follows the highway back up to Artist Point, but we prefer to hitch a ride or take two cars. This will save you from having to hike all the way back up to Artist Point on a trail that is right next to the road with an elevation gain of 900 feet. This also shortens your hike by 1.5 miles.
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The Heather Meadows Visitor Center is located next to Bagley Lake.
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The Heather Meadows parking area is next to the Heather Meadows Visitor Center, and near Bagley Lake.
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