9. Wahtum Lake Loop

Summary

Length                                3 ¼ mile loop (add ¾ mile for side trip to Chinidere Mountain)

Season                               Summer to early autumn

Elevation range                3,720 – 4,270 feet (4,673 to Chinidere Mountain)

Human imprint                  Moderate (campers, hikers, nearby road)

Information                       Mount Hood National Forest (Hood River Ranger District)

Primary old growth features

Beautiful noble fir and Douglas-fir old growth.

Description

Old-growth forests surround most of peaceful Wahtum Lake, a glistening gem tucked into the head of the Eagle Creek basin along the eastern margin of the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. Old Douglas-fir and western hemlock, species typically found at low elevations, intermingle with noble fir and Pacific silver fir on the hillslopes above the lake. Portions of three trails can be linked together to form an encircling loop around the basin.

Head out of the parking area on either the well-graded Wahtum Lake Trail, or take the direct, stepped path down to the lake on the Wahtum Express Trail. Both travel through a mix of approximately 300-year-old true fir and Douglas-fir old growth on the way to Wahtum Lake and a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT, 2000). Head left (west) on the PCT around the south side of the lake, turning right onto the Eagle Creek Trail (440) a quarter mile later. Turn right again in a couple hundred yards onto the Chinidere Cutoff Trail (406M), signed as a shortcut for PCT users.

The Chinidere Cutoff Trail immediately crosses East Fork Eagle Creek on logs jammed across the stream at the lake outlet and heads uphill through a younger forest. Although the pitch is steep in places, the trail is well graded and quickly reaches the PCT in about ¾ mile. Turn right (northeast) to continue the loop around the lake, or turn left to visit Chinidere Mountain.

If the sky is clear, a detour to the top of Chinidere Mountain is well worth the time and energy. Take a left onto the PCT, and turn right about 100 yards later onto the Chinidere Mountain Trail (445). Switchback up the slope for less than half a mile to reach the summit for top-of-the-world views of Cascade peaks from Mt. Rainier to Mount Jefferson. Wahtum Lake is visible below, and views to the west and northwest overlook the dramatic aftermath of the Eagle Creek Fire (2017).

Return to the PCT and continue past the Chinidere Cutoff Trail to complete the loop. The PCT passes a junction with the Herman Creek Trail (406) to the left, and then reenters an exemplary stand of true fir and Douglas-fir old growth a half mile later. The trail curves around the east end of the teardrop-shaped lake and drops back down to the shoreline. Take the Wahtum Lake Trail back up to the trailhead.

30 Years of Change

The forest appears largely unchanged, though the Eagle Creek Fire (2017) burned nearby and is starkly visible from the top of Chinidere Mountain.