42 Wagonwheel Lake
A 2.8-mile day hike from the North Fork Skokomish trailhead to Wagonwheel Lake.
Trail type: Foot.
Best season: Early June to mid-October.
Elevation gain: 3,240 feet.
Maximum elevation: 4,100 feet.
Topo maps: Mount Steel; Custom Correct Mount Skokomish–Lake Cushman.
Finding the trailhead: From Hoodsport, drive west on Lake Cushman Road past Lake Cushman State Park. Turn left onto Forest Road 24 and drive 6.6 miles to the Staircase Ranger Station. Follow the paved street uphill from the station to the North Fork trailhead.
The Hike
This trail is a laborious climb across wooded slopes with limited views, ending at a woodland lake. The trail begins by running north through a dry forest of young Douglas fir underlain by a dense mat of Oregon grape. It soon crosses the moist bottom of a side valley and begins the long ascent by switchbacking up the steep hillside. When it finally reaches the top of a finger ridge, the grade eases a bit before becoming even steeper as it follows the ridgeline upward. There are several overlooks as the path alternates between doghair stands of young hemlocks and open groves of more mature trees. These vantage points offer views of Lightning Peak, which rises on the far side of Lake Cushman.
After a brutal climb the trail levels off as it swings onto the western side of the ridge. Here the trail offers a new challenge in the form of dense brush that clogs an open avalanche slope. The craggy summit that rises above the forest to the north is Mount Lincoln, and good views of it can be had from the midst of the shrubbery. Soon after returning to the forest, the path crosses a small outlet stream and arrives on the bluffs above Wagonwheel Lake. This pool of deep aquamarine occupies an oval pocket in the timber. Mountain hemlock, Alaska cedar, and subalpine fir are the principal overstory species, while willows and devil’s club crowd the shores of the lake. There are several campsites above the western shore, and they offer limited views of the rocky crest of Copper Mountain.
Key Points
0.0North Fork Skokomish trailhead.
2.8Wagonwheel Lake.
