Everything You Need To Know About Hiking Lake Annette
If you’re interested in Hiking Lake Annette Trial, this post is for you! I’ve got you covered. Everything you need to know about parking, trail stats, what to expect during the high season, the low season and, of course, what to bring!
Now onto a story about trees…
When I was in 3rd grade, my family moved to Oregon. As cliché as it might sound, one of the first things I remember being told “if you get lost in the woods, find a good tree, hug it and call for help”.
Yes. I was literally told to “hug a tree” at the age of 7 and, to be honest, It’s one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received. It’s also become a scavenger hunt whenever I go hiking: to “find a good tree”…. and you know what? This trail was FULL of them!
Now, I’m no tree expert (… I kind of am though) but as time goes on, I’ve gotten the hang of hiking! Hiking with a small group, hiking with a friend and, now, hiking alone. I get really excited when a hike feels so comfortable, I would feel safe hiking alone. Which is what stirred this post today.
This trail was not only full of other solo female hikers but it checked mark all my favorite boxes:
- A great workout
- Beautiful & “worth it” views at the end
- The prettiest lake!
- Filled with trees and foliage in Autumn
- A snowy trail in winter (that’s not impossible to hike)
- Safe and leisurely
With that, here’s Everything You Need To Know About Hiking Lake Annette!
Walking the Wooden Path Section of the Hike 
Autumn Foliage on the Hik
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Everything You Need To Know About Hiking Lake Annette
Full disclosure, I hiked Lake Annette Trail a few weeks ago with one of my best friends. She’s an avid hiker and she’s also 4 months pregnant so we took this excursion slow. Which was great for me because I’m a little out of my normal “hiking shape”. The hills in Washington can be a killer! On the heart and the quads! It’s full cardio up hill and we both had to stop a few times to bring our heart rate back down a bit.
That said, let’s get into the nitty gritty!
How to get to Annette Lake Trail Head & Parking
This trail was super easy to find, especially when plugged right into a gps. I grabbed the address from the AllTrails app, my favorite, and it took me right to the parking lot. They do have season road closures but the trail is still open.
The trail is through the Mount Baker Snoqualmie Pass National Forest and its out near North Bend. The parking area is very well kept and even has a bathroom, which is perfect for before your hike. No sink or towels so don’t forget your hand sanitizer.
Annette Lake Trail Stats
Here are the basic facts for this hike:
- About an hour and a half drive outside of Seattle
- 7.8 mile hike (there and back; combined)
- 2,043 ft of elevation
- Heavy traffic during the popular months (June – October)
- Great for leashed Dogs
- Does have some rocky
- Very, very well maintained trail
Hiking Annette Lake Trail, WA 
Mushroom Tree
What to Expect June to October
Otherwise known as “the heavily trafficked months” in Washington, this is prime time to be on the trails! However, because of that, I cannot recommend getting to the trail early enough. This gets you a great parking spot but it also allows you to be 1:1 with nature even though there are more people on the road.
Despite these being the ideal months, it can still rain (hello, Washingtonnnn). So, I do recommend you also bring a rain coat. On the opposite end, if it’s a beautiful warm sunny day, be prepared to see people with pool floats on the lake!
The trail itself is gorgeous. It has significantly less rocky areas than Lake 22 or, even, Snow Lake. Both of which are beautiful and have a way bigger lake. However, I think those two are more advanced than Annette Lake Trail.
I did twist my ankle on this one, because I wasn’t wearing hiking shoes and grabbed my sneakers instead. Either work during this time of year but if you have weak ankles, don’t be like me: grab your hiking shoes.
What to Expect in the Off-Season
Be prepared with your snow boots and/or spikes! It’s absolutely beautiful and even though I haven’t been there in the winter, yet, my friend told me it’s absolutely gorgeous. She said she felt like she was in Narnia. She was on a date too, so it sounded extra magical. ✨
You’ll have to check for road closures, as mentioned above but the trail remains open through out the year. You just need to park further from the lot.
What to Bring
Even though it was crisp and early Saturday morning when we headed out, due to the elevation, we got hot fast. I immediately regretted my sweatshirt (which is shredded in less than a mile). However, I did the reminder of the hike in a long workout top and puffer vest. I was still warm but it wasn’t un-reasonable.
This isn’t a long hike (again, under 8 miles). If you’re a pro hiker, I recommend the essentials. If you are a newer or want to be extra safe because you’re hiking alone, you should also check out my Beginner’s Guide to Hiking Alone: Safety Tips and Essentials.
I’ve also created an amazon essential hiking packing guide.
The best advice I can give is to bring food. There is nothing better than getting to the lake and opening up your well deserved breakfast or lunch! I brought homemade trail mix, a banana and two granola bars (one in case of an emergency or fellow hiker). Just remember to pack up what you pack in!
Thanks for reading Everything You Need To Know About Hiking Lake Annette you guys! If you think I’m missing anything else or you need more info, just leave a comment and I’ll get back as soon as I can.
Also, if there are any other hiking trails you want a post on, let me know! I’m always excited to fill in a special request.
Safe & happy trails!
Other posts you might enjoy:
- Everything you Need to Know about Hiking Lake 22
- Hiking the Hollywood Sign, CA
- 5 Quick & Easy Ways to Save Money While Traveling
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