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Area 3 - The Apline Lakes
Spectacle Lake Trail #1306
Length: 8 Miles
Gain: 1500’
High: 4400’
Low: 2900’
Recommended Seasons: Summer and Fall
Open to: Hikers
Access: From Cle Elum or Roslyn, take State
Highway 903 north to the turnoff for Cooper Lake,
which is FS Road 46. Follow this to the Cooper
Lake turnoff on FS Road 4616 and then left on 4616-
113 to the Pete Lake trailhead.
Setting: River valley, creeks, old-growth forest, lake,
meadows.
Parking and Facilities: This trailhead has parking
for numerous vehicles, loading ramp for stock, and
toilets. Camping sites are available nearby on
Cooper Lake at OWHI walk-in campground or
Cayuse Horse Camp at Salmon la Sac. There is
no water at the trailhead and Northwest Forest
Passes are required.
Trail: Follow Pete Lake trail 1323 for 6.4 miles to its
junction with the Pacific Crest Trail 2000. Follow
the Pacific Crest Trail as it gradually climbs through
a series of rocky switchbacks, crossing Delate
Creek on a large wooden bridge often coated with
waterfall mist. Continue through another series of
switchbacks to the junction with Spectacle Lake, at
which point the trail dissolves into a series of
footpaths. The Spectacle Lake basin is very fragile,
so please stay on these footpaths, as well as
established camp spots.
Length: 8 Miles
Gain: 1500’
High: 4400’
Low: 2900’
Recommended Seasons: Summer and Fall
Open to: Hikers
Access: From Cle Elum or Roslyn, take State
Highway 903 north to the turnoff for Cooper Lake,
which is FS Road 46. Follow this to the Cooper
Lake turnoff on FS Road 4616 and then left on 4616-
113 to the Pete Lake trailhead.
Setting: River valley, creeks, old-growth forest, lake,
meadows.
Parking and Facilities: This trailhead has parking
for numerous vehicles, loading ramp for stock, and
toilets. Camping sites are available nearby on
Cooper Lake at OWHI walk-in campground or
Cayuse Horse Camp at Salmon la Sac. There is
no water at the trailhead and Northwest Forest
Passes are required.
Trail: Follow Pete Lake trail 1323 for 6.4 miles to its
junction with the Pacific Crest Trail 2000. Follow
the Pacific Crest Trail as it gradually climbs through
a series of rocky switchbacks, crossing Delate
Creek on a large wooden bridge often coated with
waterfall mist. Continue through another series of
switchbacks to the junction with Spectacle Lake, at
which point the trail dissolves into a series of
footpaths. The Spectacle Lake basin is very fragile,
so please stay on these footpaths, as well as
established camp spots.
Polallie Ridge Trail #1309
Length: 8.5 Miles
Gain: 2900’
High: 5400’
Low: 2500’
Recommended Seasons: Summer and Fall
Open to: Hikers, Horseback
Access: From Cle Elum or Roslyn, take State
Highway 903 north to Salmon La Sac then turn left
across the Cle Elum River to FS Road 4316-111
and follow it (0.5 mile) to trailhead. It is also the
trailhead for Cooper River Trail #1311 and Waptus
River Trail #1310.
Setting: Ridgetop, high mountain lake, meadows,
old-growth forest.
Parking and Facilities: This trailhead has parking
for numerous vehicles, loading ramp for stock, and
toilets.
Trail: The first 2.5 miles is uphill and fairly steep as
the trail follows the ridgeline, passing through trees
and open areas and over rocky bluffs. Past the 2.5
mile point, the trail runs along the north side of the
ridge, going down into and up out of several basins;
it is often steep. Diamond Lake is in the second
basin at 4.2 miles and is the only constant water
source along the trail (treat before drinking). The
trail passes through two additional meadow basins
before hitting the ridgetop again at 6.45 miles. Just
beyond that, the old Polallie Lookout site provides
good views. The junction with Tired Creek Trail
#1317 is just past that. From there, the trail
descends through old-growth forest to Waptus
Pass Trail #1329.
Length: 8.5 Miles
Gain: 2900’
High: 5400’
Low: 2500’
Recommended Seasons: Summer and Fall
Open to: Hikers, Horseback
Access: From Cle Elum or Roslyn, take State
Highway 903 north to Salmon La Sac then turn left
across the Cle Elum River to FS Road 4316-111
and follow it (0.5 mile) to trailhead. It is also the
trailhead for Cooper River Trail #1311 and Waptus
River Trail #1310.
Setting: Ridgetop, high mountain lake, meadows,
old-growth forest.
Parking and Facilities: This trailhead has parking
for numerous vehicles, loading ramp for stock, and
toilets.
Trail: The first 2.5 miles is uphill and fairly steep as
the trail follows the ridgeline, passing through trees
and open areas and over rocky bluffs. Past the 2.5
mile point, the trail runs along the north side of the
ridge, going down into and up out of several basins;
it is often steep. Diamond Lake is in the second
basin at 4.2 miles and is the only constant water
source along the trail (treat before drinking). The
trail passes through two additional meadow basins
before hitting the ridgetop again at 6.45 miles. Just
beyond that, the old Polallie Lookout site provides
good views. The junction with Tired Creek Trail
#1317 is just past that. From there, the trail
descends through old-growth forest to Waptus
Pass Trail #1329.
Waptus River Trail #1310
Length: 11 Miles
Gain: 560’
High: 3120’
Low: 2560’
Recommended Seasons: Summer and Fall
Open to: Hikers, Horseback
Access: From Cle Elum or Roslyn, take State
Highway 903 north to Salmon La Sac then turn left
across the Cle Elum River to FS Road 4316-111
and follow it (0.5 mile) to trailhead.
Setting: River valley, high mountain lake, meadows,
old-growth forest.
Parking and Facilities: This trailhead has parking
for numerous vehicles, loading ramp for stock, and
toilets.
Trail: Waptus River Trail follows a gentle grade for
most of its length, with several uphill and downhill
stretches over the first 6 miles. It winds among
rocky bluffs and ponds, through forest, and
eventually along Waptus River. From the 6-mile
point, the trail is level for a while before starting
uphill and leaving the river near the junction with
Trail Creek 1322. Two miles later, the trail reaches
the junction with Waptus Pass Trail #1329; from
here the hiker trail is to the right and heads down to
the river and a bridge crossing, then follows
Spinola Creek north for 0.5 mile and crosses it on a
bridge before heading west 0.5 mile to Waptus
Lake. On the west side of Spinola Creek is the
junction with Spinola Creek Trail 1310.1 which
heads north up the creek for 1 mile to a junction
with the Pacific Crest Trail. Horseman can use the
Waptus Horse Ford #1329.1, which crosses the
river 0.25 mile upstream of the hiker bridge and is
accessed from 1329.; it then heads straight to the
lake where it meets 1310 again. From that junction,
1310 continues on a fairly level grade along then
north shoe of Waptus Lake for 1.5 miles. It then
leaves the lake and heads uphill through forest for
0.5 mile to trail’s end at the junction with Pacific
Crest Trail 2000 near Spade Lake.
Length: 11 Miles
Gain: 560’
High: 3120’
Low: 2560’
Recommended Seasons: Summer and Fall
Open to: Hikers, Horseback
Access: From Cle Elum or Roslyn, take State
Highway 903 north to Salmon La Sac then turn left
across the Cle Elum River to FS Road 4316-111
and follow it (0.5 mile) to trailhead.
Setting: River valley, high mountain lake, meadows,
old-growth forest.
Parking and Facilities: This trailhead has parking
for numerous vehicles, loading ramp for stock, and
toilets.
Trail: Waptus River Trail follows a gentle grade for
most of its length, with several uphill and downhill
stretches over the first 6 miles. It winds among
rocky bluffs and ponds, through forest, and
eventually along Waptus River. From the 6-mile
point, the trail is level for a while before starting
uphill and leaving the river near the junction with
Trail Creek 1322. Two miles later, the trail reaches
the junction with Waptus Pass Trail #1329; from
here the hiker trail is to the right and heads down to
the river and a bridge crossing, then follows
Spinola Creek north for 0.5 mile and crosses it on a
bridge before heading west 0.5 mile to Waptus
Lake. On the west side of Spinola Creek is the
junction with Spinola Creek Trail 1310.1 which
heads north up the creek for 1 mile to a junction
with the Pacific Crest Trail. Horseman can use the
Waptus Horse Ford #1329.1, which crosses the
river 0.25 mile upstream of the hiker bridge and is
accessed from 1329.; it then heads straight to the
lake where it meets 1310 again. From that junction,
1310 continues on a fairly level grade along then
north shoe of Waptus Lake for 1.5 miles. It then
leaves the lake and heads uphill through forest for
0.5 mile to trail’s end at the junction with Pacific
Crest Trail 2000 near Spade Lake.
Cooper River Trail #1311
Length: 3.2 Miles
Gain: 300’
High: 2800’
Low: 2500’
Recommended Seasons: Summer and Fall
Open to: Hikers, Horseback, Mountain Bikes
Access: From Cle Elum or Roslyn, take State
Highway 903 north to Salmon La Sac then turn left
across the Cle Elum River to FS Road 4316-111
and follow it (0.5 mile) to trailhead.
Setting: River valley, meadow, old-growth forest.
Parking and Facilities: This trailhead has parking
for numerous vehicles, loading ramp for stock, and
toilets.
Trail: The trail follows the north side of the Cooper
River from the trailhead to its end at the junction
with FS Road 4616 near Cooper Lake. Though
generally a gentle grade, this trail has many up and
downhill stretches as it runs through the old-growth
forest along the river. This trail is a good day hike
especially with road access at either end.
Length: 3.2 Miles
Gain: 300’
High: 2800’
Low: 2500’
Recommended Seasons: Summer and Fall
Open to: Hikers, Horseback, Mountain Bikes
Access: From Cle Elum or Roslyn, take State
Highway 903 north to Salmon La Sac then turn left
across the Cle Elum River to FS Road 4316-111
and follow it (0.5 mile) to trailhead.
Setting: River valley, meadow, old-growth forest.
Parking and Facilities: This trailhead has parking
for numerous vehicles, loading ramp for stock, and
toilets.
Trail: The trail follows the north side of the Cooper
River from the trailhead to its end at the junction
with FS Road 4616 near Cooper Lake. Though
generally a gentle grade, this trail has many up and
downhill stretches as it runs through the old-growth
forest along the river. This trail is a good day hike
especially with road access at either end.
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