The 7 Most Beautiful Mountain Lakes in Washington

Washington is famous for its nature, from the foothills of the Cascade Mountains to the moss-covered Hoh Rainforest of the Olympic Peninsula. The mountain lakes of this forested state are no exception. Read on to discover the seven most beautiful lakes in Washington State!

1. Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake is a man-made lake between Ross Lake and Gorge Lake in the North Cascade Mountains. The lake has a maximum depth of 320 feet. It is a popular location for bull trout and rainbow trout fishing due to its inflow from the Skagit River. It was formed alongside the Diablo Dam in 1930, creating the now-famous Diablo Lake Trail. Diablo is part of the larger Ross Lake National Recreation Area, providing fishing opportunities, kayaking, and canoeing.

Diablo Lake is famous for its out-of-this-world turquoise hue! The stunning color is a product of thin layers of rock (glacial flour) reflecting light from the sun. The best time to see this mesmerizing effect is between the months of July and September. The lake’s secluded location amongst the North Cascades only adds to its beauty.

Diablo Lake Lookout, which provides a stunning view of the water, is another popular tourist attraction. It is easily accessible for drivers on Highway 20. Ample parking, restrooms, and covered areas for eating are all provided. And those curious about the history of the area will find plenty to read about on posted signs.

Camping is also an option at Diablo Lake, although you cannot access the campsites via car. Boating to the grounds is the only option for lakeside camping. However, the surrounding North Cascades National Park provides RV and tent camping. The surrounding hiking trails are some of the best in the nation, including the family-friendly, three-and-a-half-mile-long Thunder Knob trail. The seven-mile-long Diablo Lake Trail is also a favorite. The Diablo Dam is also worth visiting, as it used to be the biggest dam in the world! It provides an expansive view of the valley. 

2. Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent is one of the biggest lakes in the state, covering roughly eight miles with an average depth of 300 feet and a maximum depth of 624 feet. This lake is the second-deepest in the state, next to Lake Chelan. It is a part of the Olympic Peninsula in the greater Olympic National Park. Lake Crescent is the confluence of four rivers — Barnes Creek, Smith Creek, Aurora Creek, and Eagle Creek. It was formed when a combination of glaciers created deep valleys during the most recent ice age. A landslide that blocked Indian Creek around 8000 years ago and flooded the valley also contributed to its formation. 

Lake Crescent is unusually clear due to the absence of nitrogen within its water, which prevents algae from spreading and muddying the surface.  Hiking is one of the premier attractions at Lake Crescent. A range of trails are available for everyone, from casual day hikers to experienced trekkers. Some commonly sought-after routes include the Pyramid Mountain Trail, the Barnes Creek Trail, the Marymere Falls Trail, and the Spruce Railroad Trail.

Some of these trails are accessible from the Storm King Ranger Station. This wonderful resource also provides information about the area as well as activities and guided ranger tours. The Lake Crescent Lodge, built in 1915 and located right on the shoreline, provides log cabins for overnight stays. The lodge has a gift shop, bar, boat rentals, and immediate access to Lake Crescent.

Fishing (especially fly-fishing) is another popular activity at the lake, which is known for having a few distinct subspecies in addition to more common fish. Anglers can find the Beardslee trout, which evolved from the rainbow trout. The cutthroat trout, while not officially considered a subspecies, is a unique fish that is only found at Lake Crescent. Anglers can also expect to find steelhead, sockeye salmon, and rainbow trout.

3. Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan is the largest lake in Washington and the third deepest in the United States. Nestled amongst the majestic peaks of the North Cascades, Lake Chelan is popular for its beautiful shoreline and surrounding nature. The lake is 1,486 feet deep, with an average depth of 474 feet and a surface area of roughly 52 miles. Both Railroad Creek and the Stehekin River feed it. 

The Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and the Lake Chelan State Park are situated on the north and south sides of the lake, respectively. There are over 100 campsites available, but most of these usually have to be booked well in advance. A few less commonly reserved campgrounds are Kamei Campground, Snowberry Bowl Campground, and Wapato Lake Campground.

The temperate cooling effect of the lake makes its surroundings ideal for grape growing. As a result, more than twenty different wineries are in the area. A few of the most popular include Hard Row to Hoe, Nefarious Cellars, and Chelan Ridge Winery. 

Lake Chelan is world-renowned for its fishing, and its 110 miles of shore provide a spot for anglers to congregate. Recreational parks, docks, and campsites line the lakeside, offering quick access to the water. Lake Chelan is regularly stocked with half a million kokanee salmon, 100,000 cutthroat, and plenty of large-mouth and small-mouth bass, bull trout, crappie, chinook salmon, blue gill, and rainbow trout. The lake is open for fishing all year long. Park rangers even provide fishing lessons and tours for the uninitiated. 

4. Lake Wenatchee

Lake Wenatchee, located on the eastern edge of the Cascade Mountains, is part of the larger Lake Wenatchee State Park, perhaps the finest of its kind in the state. The lake is five miles long with a maximum depth of 244 feet. The Little Wenatchee River and the White River feed it. 

Recreation is the name of the game at Lake Wenatchee and with good reason. Swimming, fishing, jet skiing, windsurfing, and kayaking are all common activities. Additionally, hiking, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and even cross-country skiing are common. There are also around 200 campgrounds available to the public, divided into the North Campground and the South Campground. The United States Forest Service separately manages a third area, Glacier View Campground.

Fishing remains one of the biggest draws at Lake Wenatchee, which rangers stock with yellow perch, rainbow, brown, and bull Trout, steelhead, chinook salmon, and both smallmouth and largemouth bass. Several public docks and boat launches situated around the lake offer quick and easy access for anglers. Boats are available to rent, along with stand-up paddleboards and windsurfing boards. You can even learn to ride a horse at the Lake Wenatchee State Park Riding Stable. 

Day-hikers and experienced trekkers alike will enjoy exploring Lake Wenatchee’s many hiking trails. The best trails include Dirty Face Trail, Hidden Lake Trailhead, and the Nason Ridge Trailhead. In the winter months, check in to Chiwawa Sno-Park and Nason Ridge Sno-Park for fun in the snow!

5. Baker Lake

Baker Lake is a nine-mile-long lake in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. It is located about two and a half hours north of Seattle. It is a part of the larger Mt. Baker National Recreation Area (NRA). It’s a popular recreation location for tourists and citizens of the surrounding counties in Skagit and Whatcom.

There are 55 campsites spread across the lake throughout Swift Creek Campground. They accommodate both regular tent set-ups and full-sized RVs. Other campgrounds include Shannon Creek, with 19 reservable sites, and Horshoe Cove, which has 38 campsites and operates without reservations. 

The fishing season at Baker Lake runs from the last Saturday of every April up until Halloween night. Anglers flock to the lake in the spring and early summer months, as well as late fall, for its stock of Kokanee and trout. Other commonly spotted fish at Baker Lake include mountain whitefish, sockeye salmon, and bull trout. There are plenty of docks and easy access to boat rentals as well. A boat is a requirement for catching some of the species that inhabit deeper sections of the lake, such as sockeye and Kokanee.

In addition to camping, boating, and fishing, the Mount Baker National Recreation Area provides plenty of opportunities for hiking. Some popular trails include Scott Paul Trail, Railroad Grade Trail, Elbow Lake Trail, Park Butte Trail, Belle Pass Trail, and Ridley Creek Trail. All of these are open for horseback riding as well, except for Scott Paul Trail and Railroad Grade Trail. In addition, four campgrounds are available for overnight stays: High Camp, Railroad Camp, Mazama Park Horse Camp, and Cathedral Camp.

6. Lake Ozette

Lake Ozette is an eight-mile-long lake on the Olympic Peninsula, with a maximum depth of 331 feet. It is the third biggest freshwater lake in the state. It offers beautiful hiking, camping, and fishing. Visitors can also enjoy the majestic Olympic National Park.

Lake Ozette is also the site of more than 50,000 unearthed historical artifacts! Many of these are now on display at the Makah Cultural and Research Center. Excavated evidence of ancient societies that made their home on the lake date back at least 2,000 years. Experts even found an entire village ensconced in a mudslide roughly 300 years ago.

Some of Lake Ozette’s most beloved attractions include several boardwalks, which provide a beautiful three-mile-long path out to the coast. There are also 15 available campgrounds within direct sight of the lake, as well as cabin rentals. Hikers are encouraged to try the Ozette Loop, which links to oft-visited sites such as Sand Point and Cape Alava. Wedding Rocks is particularly interesting for its Native American petroglyphs.

Lake Ozette also has three islands: Garden Island, Tivoli, and Baby Island. These are popular locations for kayaking and canoeing, as well as for fishing, hiking, and overnight camping. Fishing is another pastime at Lake Ozette, which hosts 13 species ranging from bass and perch to trout.

7. Silver Lake

Silver Lake is situated in the southwestern corner of Washington State, just outside the unincorporated community of the same name. The lake offers beautiful views of the famous Mount St. Helens, roughly thirty miles away from the shoreline.

Silver Lake is only about five feet in depth with four miles of lakeside, which makes this body of water an excellent location for fishing. The lake is known mainly for its population of Largemouth Bass, but it also has other species, such as Yellow Perch, Rainbow Trout, Black and White Crappie, War Mouth, Brown Bullhead, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed.

Camping is available at Silver Lake from spring to mid-fall, beginning in the middle of April and ending in October. 

Summary of the 7 Most Beautiful Mountain Lakes in Washington

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