{"id":190,"date":"2018-01-22T16:18:22","date_gmt":"2018-01-22T16:18:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/?p=190"},"modified":"2021-12-01T19:48:07","modified_gmt":"2021-12-01T19:48:07","slug":"hiking-heather-lake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/hiking-heather-lake\/","title":{"rendered":"A Short and Sweet Hike in the PNW \u2013 Heather Lake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Have you ever been so excited about a place that you had to tell everyone you knew about said place practically immediately?<\/strong>&nbsp;There are really only two places that fit this bill for me \u2014 Penang, Malaysia (I know, I still haven\u2019t told you all about this magical place!) and Heather Lake. Last night the hubby and I were discussing if we wanted to hike this weekend and around 10 p.m. decided we\u2019d leave this morning at 6 a.m. for an early morning hike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since moving to Seattle last month I\u2019ve had a hard time deciding \u201cwhere\u201d to hike and have leaned heavily on WTA and my favorite local blogger couple The Mandagies. They have this amazing post on the<a href=\"http:\/\/www.themandagies.com\/2017\/02\/20-energizing-hikes-in-the-pnw\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&nbsp;top 20 energizing hikes in the PNW<\/a>&nbsp;and we decided&nbsp;to tick one off the list \u2014<a href=\"http:\/\/heather-lake-quick-morning-hike\/\" target=\"_blank\">&nbsp;Heather Lake<\/a>. We were ready to get outside after all of the smoke in the PNW and&nbsp;despite the 5:30 a.m. wake up call<strong>&nbsp;this hike was the best decision we\u2019ve made since moving here.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Logistics<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Before heading out on any hike in Washington be sure to check out the&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wta.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Washin<\/a><\/em>gton Trails Association website&nbsp;\u2014 an <em>AMAZING resource for up-to-date conditions of pretty much any trail you would want to try out.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Need to Knows<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Located about 1.5 hours from Seattle<\/strong>&nbsp;in the North Cascades \u2014 you\u2019ll need your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/learn\/expert-advice\/ten-essentials.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Northwest Forest Pass&nbsp;<\/a>to park! &nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Rated as an \u201cintermediate\u201d hike<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 roughly 4.6 miles roundtrip and 1,000 feet elevation gain<\/li><li><strong>Check the weather \u2013<\/strong>\u2013 likely very snowy in the winter and with all of the roots can be slippery in the rain. We went on a really dry day (it hasn\u2019t rained since we moved here a month ago!) so we had no issues.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Wear ankle protecting shoes<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 the roots and rocks here are a bit difficult to navigate. High top boots will save you!<\/li><li><strong>Bring your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/learn\/expert-advice\/ten-essentials.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201c10 essentials\u201d<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 you never know what could happen! We didn\u2019t have cell phone service the entire time we were there so be prepared!&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Trees-collage-1024x950.jpg\" alt=\"Hiking Heather Lake is by far one of my favorite hikes in the PNW. Short and sweet hike with amazing views at the end.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"950\" srcset=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Trees-collage-1024x950.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Trees-collage-300x278.jpg 300w, http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Trees-collage-768x713.jpg 768w\">Tips to have your best time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>&nbsp;Everyone said that this hike was \u201ceasy\u201d. In fact, the WTA even suggested bringing your kiddos for their first hike with elevation gain. Now, it\u2019s not a hard hike (I won\u2019t be sore tomorrow), but I wouldn\u2019t rate it as \u201ceasy\u201d. We saw a lot of toddlers trying to climb over rocks taller than them and if you decide to bring your little one be sure you have a carrying device that can take care of them if they get tired. I have ankle protecting boots and I struggled at times with climbing over the many rocks and roots so can only imagine what it must feel like for a 3-year-old. This is especially true coming down.&nbsp;<strong>Just take your time and wear supportive shoes<\/strong>.&nbsp;You\u2019ll thank me later. \ud83d\ude42&nbsp;<strong><\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Dress for the weather!<\/strong>&nbsp;I layer, layer, layer when hiking and I\u2019m always thankful despite having to carry all the extra bulk as I de-layer (or better yet have my hubby carry it). \ud83d\ude42 In the winter be sure to bring some type&nbsp;of winter hiking shoe, bring waterproof gear if it\u2019s supposed to rain, and be ready to take off a lot of clothes as you climb up if you do this in the summer.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Bring snacks (and water)!<\/strong>&nbsp;I love packing peanut butter and honey sandwiches, homemade trail mix (we don\u2019t eat salted nuts so we make our own), and jerky. There is some FANTASTIC salmon jerky from&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834\/http:\/\/www.totemsmokehouse.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Totem Smokehouse&nbsp;<\/a>in Pike\u2019s Place that I can\u2019t recommend enough. Absolutely love this stuff!&nbsp;<strong>HELP \u2014&nbsp;<\/strong><em><strong>For water, I just bring a big Nalgene, but am in the market for a day pack with a bladder. Would love any and all suggestions!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Going in the summer?&nbsp;<strong>BRING BUG SPRAY.<\/strong>&nbsp;I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s just this summer, but man the bugs are nuts here. I kind of forgot what a bug was living in Ireland and I was quickly reminded of the sting of a mosquito on my first hike. Trust me, I\u2019ll never forget that green bottle of DEET again. I imagine&nbsp;my husband is secretly thanking me for making him smell like a chemical bath in this picture.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Enjoy the little things!<\/strong>&nbsp;While we were sitting on this rock eating our snacks a duck family came swimming over and had a nice little bath right in front of us. I have never seen ducks come up this close to humans and it was so fun just watching them play in the water.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>HAVE FUN!<\/strong>&nbsp;The PNW is so special with amazing hikes, scenery, nature, and people. Despite the famous \u201cSeattle freeze\u201d we have found that people here are so kind and friendly. Get outside and enjoy being surrounded not only by beautiful nature and scenery, but also the pure magic of the PNW. If we had to move away from Ireland, I\u2019m glad we got to settle in Seattle. We really are the luckiest.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Happy Trekking!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2013 Boots not Roots<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>If you enjoyed this post, consider donating to the&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834\/https:\/\/give.wta.org\/fundraise\/team?ftid=127800&amp;fref=gc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Washington Trails Association<\/a>&nbsp;to support these beautiful trails! I\u2019m participating in a Hike-A-Thon the month of August to support these trails so would love any and all support! Much love!&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Love it? Pin it!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/pinterest-1-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Hiking Heather Lake is by far one of my favorite hikes in the PNW. Short and sweet hike with amazing views at the end.\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/pinterest-1-200x300.jpg 200w, http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/pinterest-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/pinterest-1.jpg 735w\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/pinterest-2-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Hiking Heather Lake is by far one of my favorite hikes in the PNW. Short and sweet hike with amazing views at the end.\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/pinterest-2-200x300.jpg 200w, http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/pinterest-2-683x1024.jpg 683w, http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/http:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/pinterest-2.jpg 735w\"><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834\/http:\/\/www.suitcasesandsandcastles.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180122015834im_\/https:\/\/suitcasesandsandcastles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/FARAWAYFILES-14-e1481709420223.jpg\" alt=\"Suitcases and Sandcastles\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever been so excited about a place that you had to tell everyone you knew about said place practically immediately?&nbsp;There are really only two places that fit this bill for me \u2014 Penang, Malaysia (I know, I still haven\u2019t told you all about this magical place!) and Heather Lake. Last night the hubby &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"A Short and Sweet Hike in the PNW \u2013 Heather Lake\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/hiking-heather-lake\/#more-190\" aria-label=\"More on A Short and Sweet Hike in the PNW \u2013 Heather Lake\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=190"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":390,"href":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190\/revisions\/390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}