Christmas Lake via Palouse to Cascades Trail + Peak 1185 / 聖誕湖

  • Reading time:6 mins read

Christmas Lake sits near Rattlesnake Lake by Olallie State Park. The quickest way to the lake is via Snoqualmie Valley Trail on the north. Meanwhile, Cedar Buttes and Mount Washington loom above Boxley Creek on the east.

Christmas Lake below Peak 1185 in the wetland
Christmas Lake below Peak 1185 in the wetland

See more trip photos here.

Christmas Lake at a Glance

Access: Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail (trail info)
Round Trip: 3.5 miles
Elevation Range: 920′-1185′
Essential Gear: none
Route Info: Scott Rice
GPS Track: available
Dog-friendly: yes
Playlist: Ethereal

Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail

It’s been years since we hiked the state park trail before the significant name change. I vaguely remember Army East being more exciting than the West due to the views of the Columbia River. But nowadays, we mainly cross this historic path to access places south of it.

A spur-of-the-moment midweek plan brought us to Rattlesnake Lake near North Bend. The state park’s trailhead also allowed us to access Cedar Butte several years ago. It was a quiet stroll east from the main trail as Rattlesnake Mountain loomed behind us.

Mount Washington through the trees
Mount Washington through the trees

See more trip photos here.

Boxley Creek Trail to Peak 1185

The hidden side trail next to Boxley Creek Bridge didn’t have a name, at least not on the map. After a brief stop to check out the running stream, we dove north into the dense forest to continue. It then took under one mile on the well-maintained path to reach the peak.

To my dismay, Rainbow Lake below the north wasn’t visible from the timbered summit. One trail that bypassed the peak from the east and descended to the north would end by the private land. After a quick selfie for Connor, we followed another path down the west.

A glimpse of Green Mountain from Snoqualmie Valley Trail
A glimpse of Green Mountain from Snoqualmie Valley Trail

See more trip photos here.

Christmas Lake to Snoqualmie Valley Trail

It also took under one mile to reach the small pond at the foothills, which looked swampy. The only sounds we heard throughout came from the ducks occupying the serene water. A short distance from the valley trail, Christmas Lake seemed like a busy weekend hotspot.

En route, I’d anticipated running into other folks and other dogs but hadn’t so far. After a short walk west on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, we reached the car momentarily. But before leaving the area, I walked to Rattlesnake Lake for a quick photo below the ledges.

Rattlesnake Ledge above Rattlesnake Lake
Rattlesnake Ledge above Rattlesnake Lake

See more trip photos here.

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