Parish Hikes

   

Hike #12: Olallie Lake Hike

The Olallie Lake hike is a long-time parish favorite. Located just off Interstate 90 a few miles west of Snoqualmie Pass, the hike starts on the Pratt Lake Trail but branches off from that trail after about 2 ½ miles. Crowded parking at the paved parking area attests to the general popularity of the trails that start from this location, including Pratt Lake and Granite Mountain.

Pratt Lake Trail to the Olallie Lake turnoff
All the guide books list this trail as "easy." The elevation gain, while consistent from the moment the hike starts, is rather modest. However, if a person's idea of exercise is to go from the couch to the refrigerator and back, any kind of elevation gain will seem like scaling a formidable peak.

While the trail provides occasional views of distant peaks and valleys, for the most part the Pratt Lake Trail gives the hiker a sense of intimacy. Hikers will walk in a quiet world of filtered, variegated green. One note of caution for where the trail to Olallie Lake divides from the Pratt Lake trail. Every time the parish takes this hike, some people fail to notice the sign that points to the trail division once it is reached and end up going to Pratt Lake rather than lovely Olallie Lake.

There are numerous small streams on the hike. Any one of them would be a good place to stop, eat lunch, and simply enjoy the setting before heading back down the trail. The streams that the trail crosses look pristine but are considered to be polluted — by animals and people — so carry your own drinking water.

Intrepid hikers are encouraged to make Olallie Lake their ultimate destination. Olallie Lake, three miles from the trailhead, is situated in an intensely lovely valley surrounded by steep cliffs and mountain sides. If you make it this far, you will actually be in the Alpine Lake Wilderness Area. The forest surrounding Olallie Lake is "old growth," with the cathedral-like effect that is typical of ancient forest glades.

Important trail divide info
The trail to Olallie Lake breaks left off the Pratt Lake Trail shortly after hikers pass the wooden sign noting that they have entered the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. To add to the confusion, Olallie Lake is not listed on the sign. Instead, watch for the hard to see sign stating Talapus Lake nailed to a tree to the left of the trail. Leave the Pratt Lake trail and head down the hill toward Talapus Lake! As soon as you cross a narrow stream on a fragile "bridge" of sticks and logs, notice a sign (again, on the left) that shows another fork in the trail. The left fork goes to Talapus Lake while the right fork goes to Olallie Lake. This is the only sign indicating Olallie Lake on the entire hik. Take the trail to the right!

How to get there
Take Interstate 90 east, heading toward Snoqualmie Pass. Leave the freeway at Exit 47 (marked by overhead signs that say "Denny Creek" and "Asahel Curtis." Once you have exited, turn left over the freeway and take a second left where the road makes a "T." Brown colored signs point the way. There is a simple toilet at the trailhead. Sometimes paper is provided. It is best to be prepared. Dogs must be on leash at all times. This is a Forest Pass fee area. $5 day passes can be purchased at REI and various ranger stations such as the ones in Enumclaw and North Bend. Parish hike leaders always carry extras that parish members can purchase as long as they arrive at the trailhead on time. From St. Barbara Church, it takes about 45 minutes to drive the 38 miles to the trailhead.