Bench lake and Snow lakes are subalpine lakes tucked within the Tatoosh range. Snow lake is filled by the meltwater from the snowfields of the Tatoosh Range and lies in a talus strewn cirque beneath the highest point in the Tatoosh Range. On a clear day Bench lake offers breathtaking views of Mount Rainier.

The trail is well marked and the trailhead is located one and a half miles east of the Reflection Lakes parking area on the south side of the road.

There is a small parking lot as well as parking spaces available along the shoulder.

The trail has a total combined elevation gain of around 700 feet often climbing up and down. The meadows are radiant with wildflowers in summer and in autumn same area is alive in color with the berry bushes and mountain ashes.

The trail is a succession of gradual ups and downs as it crosses a series of low ridges.

After meandering through the meadows and a gradual ascent you will reach a ledge with view of a small pond below with a partial view of the Mt Rainier on a clear day.

Continue the descent and you will reach a junction at around .6 mile and the short trail to the left drops to a fork.

Once you take the short trail to the left, the path(mostly covered in shrubs and bushes) again forks. The one on the left takes to bank of the Bench lake but there isn’t much sand shore.

If you head right through a jungle of alders coming to the sandy shoreline of Bench Lake. From here you can see the reflection of the spectacular Mt Rainier in the lake on a clear day.

Now head back to the junction and continue hiking and you will reach a small creek crossing.

After this point there is a small uphill ridge hike and don’t forget to look back and enjoy the meadows and views of Mt Rainier. After couple of ascends and descends and you are mostly about to reach the snow lake basin and you will know when you get the first sneak peek of the Tatoosh range.

You will reach a junction toward the end with left for 0.1 mile to a bridge spanning the log littered outlet of Snow Lake. Here you’ll be treated with a jaw-dropping view of the small lake with the appropriately named Unicorn Peak rising behind it. Unicorn peak, 6,871 feet, is the highest summit in the Tatoosh Range. Unicorn peak has a tall chimney-like rock pinnacle. A small retreating glacier sits below the summit feeding Unicorn Creek which cascades down a rocky façade of ledge and talus.

Return to the junction and continue hiking. The trail soon comes to a ledge along the lake providing no stunning view but a good spot to take a lunch break.

The trail continues a little farther reaching a small shallow upper lake where you can take in excellent close-up views of Unicorn Peak.

The path officially ends at a small creek bubbling from a talus slope, but you can go a little farther following a primitive path to the base of the talus heap below the Unicorn Peak. The rocks are loose so exercise caution in case you choose to travel on the talus. Checkout some of the pictures around the basin, there are small trails to reach various part of the lakes and explore safely to capture your own moments.

Happy hiking!

TIP:

• Biting flies and mosquitoes are abundant near the Snow lake in summer and we recommend a good insect repellent like Repel 100 Insect Repellent , and full sleeve clothing in case hiking in summer season.
• Mt Rainier will be visible on clear and sunny days but even without the mountain visible the trail is pretty magical with the mist coming in and out.

Hiking guides

We always look at the weather and latest trip reports from below sites to plan our hikes. We do read other personal blogs to read about view points, photographic locations on a trail etc.

• https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/bench-snow-lake-trail.htm
• https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/bench-and-snow-lakes
• https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/bench-and-snow-lakes-trail

Travel Tips

• Buy America the Beautiful Annual Pass, if you have plans of visiting multiple national parks.
• Make sure the park pass is displayed clearly.