Chain Lakes Loop

Chain Lakes Loop

Length: 10 km

Elevation Gain: 576 m

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Chain Lakes Loop trail is located in the Mount Baker Wilderness. To park in the area, you must have a Northwest Forest Pass. It’s not that expensive. As of time of this blog (Sep 2026), the cost is US $5.

You can start the hike either at Artist Point or the Heather Meadows Visitor Center. Either way, I recommend hiking it counterclockwise to avoid a steep ascent when you approach the parking lot on your way back. Both trail heads have some uber popular trails so come early to secure a parking spot near the trail head, especially on a sunny weekend.

There are no trail markers along the route, and several trails start and end at both trailheads. Therefore, an offline map is highly recommended to help you stay on the right path. There are no technical sections throughout the trail.

The views are excellent throughout the hike. There is minimal shade along the trail, so sun protection is a must if you’re hiking on a sunny day. The loop will pass by at least four lakes, Bagley Lake, Iceberg Lake, Hayes Lake and Mazama Lake. If you want more lakes, you can take a short detour at Hayes Lake and visit Arbuthnet Lake. Throughout the trail, you will see either Mount Shuksan or Mount Baker, and some time both at the same time.

If you come at the right season, the colorful vegetation convering the hill side adds to an already photogenic mountain view.

Marmots can be seen screaming and running around the boulder fields.