Snow Lake
Alpental to Snow Lake
The Route
The Alpental trail crosses a saddle and descends to Snow Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
- Alpental TrailheadNorth end of main lot
- Talus OpeningAbout one mile
- Snow Lake SaddleWilderness boundary
- Lake Inlet400-foot descent
- Lake OutletOnward trail junctions
Alpental to the Saddle
The trail begins at the north end of Alpental's main lot, first climbing log steps and then forest. A talus opening is about one mile in; upper switchbacks gain roughly 500 feet to the saddle and wilderness boundary.
Descent into the Lake Basin
From the saddle, the trail drops about 400 feet over half a mile to the lake inlet. A shore spur passes an old cabin site. This descent becomes an additional climb on the return to Alpental.
Outlet & Onward Junctions
The main trail continues another half-mile beside the lake toward its outlet and viewpoints of Chair Peak. Beyond are branches toward the Middle Fork and higher lakes; those extensions are not included in this Snow Lake briefing. The approach crosses avalanche terrain when snow-covered.
Terrain Along the Route
Forest and talus lead to an exposed saddle; reaching the lake requires a descent that is regained on return. The approach crosses avalanche terrain when snow-covered.
Approximate guide figures for the named route and endpoint, not a current measured track. Reference Set: 2026-10-23.
Weather
Current forecasts open at the providers below. NWS forecasts describe a terrain grid cell, not an exact summit.
Access
Alpental Trailhead, Snoqualmie Pass, WA
Driving Approach
From I-90 exit 52, cross north under the freeway and follow the Alpental approach 1.3 miles to the ski-area lot. Trail 1013 begins at the north end of the main parking area.
Parking & Facilities
WTA lists an accessible trailhead toilet and Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass.
Itinerary Boundary
The route crosses the saddle and descends to Snow Lake, requiring a climb back out. Source Lake, Gem Lake and the Middle Fork extension are different endpoints from the lake outing shown here.
Forest Pass Payment
The Forest Service lists this trailhead among its credit/debit pass-purchase locations. Northwest Forest Pass and America the Beautiful Pass remain valid.
Source information checked 2026-10-23. Road snapshots are dated separately.
Reports
Snow Lake via Alpental Reports
The route-specific WTA feed covers Alpental and the saddle descent. A Source Lake turnaround does not report the Snow Lake basin, while Gem Lake extensions add distance beyond this itinerary.
Official Trail Restrictions
Forest alerts publish Trail 1013 work closures and road restrictions; the September 14–25, 2026 work window is past and should not remain a current-closure badge.
Links open the publishers’ report pages. Reports are not automatically imported or filtered to a forecast date.