Lake Ingalls in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness is one of the most most popular hikes for golden larches in Washington. The trail starts from the parking lot, following the North Fork of the Teanaway River for a short distance before branching off to Lake Ingalls. You’ll pass through several ecosystems on your way up to the lake, and while the trail is steep in places, the views are absolutely worth the effort.

At two miles up, another trail junction occurs. The left (straight) trail takes you upwards to Ingalls Pass and to Lake Ingalls. At the top of the pass, stop to enjoy views of Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Stuart. The next mile will take you through Headlight Basin, where you’ll be able to get up close and personal with golden larches and fall colors galore.

From the pass, there are two paths up to Lake Ingalls. The more defined trail to the left is the lower trail. It will take you on a meandering down the pass towards the lake. The upper path to the right offers a more direct, albeit rough route to Lake Ingalls. Having a GPS map of the area downloaded on your phone can come in very handy for this section of the hike.

Distance: 9 miles RT Elevation Gain: 2,500 ft. Difficulty: Moderate