Boat + hike lakes in western WA?

[Burt Dagger]

Any good options out there an hour or so from Tacoma for a bit of a triathlon (row, fish, hike)? My wife and I both have Friday off and are looking for something that allows for all three. I imagine prospects for this type of lake don’t really open open til you get out further east but figured I’d ask!

 

[Mossback]

Pine Lk or Lena Lake on the east side of Hood Canal are probably the closest, and more like 2 hours.

 

[Matt B]

Baby toy Serpent aka Rattlesnake

 

[Burt Dagger]

Baby toy Serpent aka Rattlesnake

Not drift boat launchable though eh?

 

[Matt B]

Not drift boat launchable though eh?

100% is.
Haven’t been recently to see water levels (seasonally, should be high now) but it’s a paved launch and gravel/rocks to the water when the water gets low.

 

[Burt Dagger]

100% is.
Haven’t been recently to see water levels (seasonally, should be high now) but it’s a paved launch and gravel/rocks to the water when the water gets low.

Oh, sweet! I had talked myself into there not being a launch. That might be the ticket

 

[Tim L]

If you go up RS Ledge do that first and hit it really early.

 

[Wetswinger]

Summit Lake, Thurston. Clean, clear water to cool off in after your rowing session and pretty good fishing. Hiking? Maybe Capitol forest nearby or stop at McLane Crk. on your way by…

 

[Sir Homey]

Yeah if you go to Rattlesnake go early. Get there too late and the clueless jackasses use the boat ramp as a parking area. Your faith in humanity will be tested.

 

[Burt Dagger]

Yeah if you go to Rattlesnake go early. Get there too late and the clueless jackasses use the boat ramp as a parking area. Your faith in humanity will be tested.

Good looking out. I don’t know that my faith in humanity would be tested so much as my assumptions about humanity would be confirmed

 

[Walove]

Lake cushman and mt Ellinor

 

[Scott Salzer]

Mt. Ellinor takes some work. Surprised that you can actually see Seattle from up there. Oh ya, mountain goat hair on the bushes.

 

[Tom Butler]

It's a bit farther than you asked for, but Orcas Is. might work. Better for overnight.

 

[Dave Westburg]

Cooper Lake out of CleElum/Roslyn. Great views. Owhi Campground (22 tent sites only) at lake. Fishing available in lake with boat or float tube(brooks, rainbow, browns and cutts). Plenty of hiking accessible from campground (Pete Lake one way and Cooper River trail the other way from campground), although some of the trails still have trees down due to winter storms. Stop in Basecamp in Roslyn for the elk sausage scramble...

 

[Walove]

Mt. Ellinor takes some work. Surprised that you can actually see Seattle from up there. Oh ya, mountain goat hair on the bushes.

You could see all five volcanoes from the summit this Saturday morning. Unfortunately staircase and surrounding trailheads are still closed due to last years fire

 

[Kfish]

We took the kids paddleboarding at Rattlesnake a couple of days ago. Water was high, very doable to launch a drift boat. You will want to get there early though, people apparently don’t respect the designated trailer parking spots and will park everywhere.

 

[DryFly82]

A bit further than an hour for Tacoma, but a good fish and hike lake for future trips is Coldwater down by St. Helens...especially on a day when wind isn't too much.