John Baisden's Favorite Ross Lake Destinations

John Baisden's Favorite Ross Lake Destinations

If I had to create my top backpacking destinations, Ross Lake would be at the top of my list.  Located in Central Washington State, Ross Lake is one of the few international lakes, which flow from Canada to reach across the United Sates boarder into the state of Washington.  Ross Lake is situated along the North Cascade Highway and is controlled by Seattle City Light.  It is a pristine lake where the water clarity is remarkable.  This magnificent lake can only be accessed by boat or by trail.  On any one day, in any summer one can see canoes and kayaks glimmering across the waters with oars and paddles reflecting the sun as they hit the water.  At the same time one can visually see hikers and campers along the miles of lake front and back country trails.  The trails are in most cases well maintained and could be classified as intermediate in difficulty but can become quite challenging. 

Over the years, John Baisden has backpacked, canoed, kayaked and boated across this amazing terrain and enjoyed every moment of it.  Just to mention a few of my important stops, I have stayed at Cat Island, Ten Mile Island (only assessable by boat), Stillwell, Little Beaver, Big Beaver, Rainbow Point, Lightening Creek, Night Mare and Hozameen.   One can easily be on or near the lake for a day or a week, take your pick.  The experience can be transforming!  At night one can sit along the Ross Lake shoreline and pick out the satellites as they track the northern sky or during the day one can stare right into the heart of many Cascade glaciers that are located in the high Cascade Mountain range that surrounds Ross Lake. The vistas are nothing short of amazing.  If you want to experience nature at its best, Ross Lake is it.    Take a few days out of your life and experience the grandeurs of Ross Lake.