Completed this hike on a sunny Saturday in June. Arrived at the trailhead at 8:30am and the tiny…read morelot was already full but there was still plenty of parking on the street. I took the lower Elliot loop to the Lake and the upper loop back to the parking lot. Definitely recommend doing it this way because the lower loop has a steady incline and many viewpoints & streams on the way up. The upper loop had more forest & foliage.

Came here on a Sunday morning, arriving to the parking lot around 8:30AM, parking lot was pretty…read morefull but there was plenty of parking space on the road. There's a bathroom at the trailhead. We took upper and came back down on lower, and the trail wasn't too steep either way. The path is pretty much fully under the shade from trees, and there are some views of the mountains here and there. The lake is beautiful with lots of spots to sit, and there were a lot of people camping there. Passed a lot of backpackers with big packs on the way up, saw some hikers as well. Stayed at the lake for a bit of time, and weather was beautiful. Not many bugs around which was good, water wasn't too cold either. Highly recommend, this is one of my favorite lakes in WA so far!

Difficulty: Easy Time: 15 minutes…read more Gear: Nike free runs, North face backpack Group: 3 People Temp: 85F (+/-) Bear lake (summer): So obviously a car full of grown men got lost and stumbled up on this trailhead instead of Pilchuck. The road to this trailhead gets very rocky with a lot of pot holes so please be careful. I don't advise bringing a nice car - use a car that's meant for these dirt, rough terrain roads. The drive there is deep as you ascend up the mountain by car and park on the side of the road. Immediately you'll see a large sign to help guide you. The hike is very fun with mild elevation gain and a lot of flat ground and natural terrain. You can tell not many people come here. its a very quick 15 minute hike till you get to this beautiful open source lake. Its absolutely gorgeous. There's a spot for a campfire as well. I highly recommend coming here. The trail also splits into a fork; one going to bear lake and the other pinnacle lake. Pinnacle lake is just roughly an hour to an hour thirty minute hike. Do not attempt when it just rained because the trail is muddy and all dirt. Both places are beautiful and a must for anyone that loves hiking There are ALOT of mosquitoes at this time so wear repellant. I would also reccomend some real hiking shoes if you're attempting pinnacle. Its an ankle breaker at some points

Awesome resort for nude camping in the PNW! Don't miss this gem, located near Sultan, WA! Heritage…read moreDays Festival begins Aug 2 thru Aug 5, 2025!! Tent sites $15, RV pad hookups, small cabin rentals, waterfalls 85 ft high, nudity required when near water borne areas of the resort ((i.e. hot tub, pool, lake, waterfalls, stream, steam bath, sauna, etc.)) Come out and tan all over with the whole Family for fun, sun and nudity this Summer!! Don't miss the Heritage Days Festival!!

An all around great facility. The lake is perfect to swim or boat in, lots of trails (including a…read moregreat waterfall trail) and places to lay out and get some sun.

Spontaneous Saturday trip to Diablo Lake in Northern Washington but we parked and stayed in Thunder…read moreKnob Trailhead. We drove for almost 3 hours, but when we were looking for a place to park, I lost my signal sevice! Diablo Lake is big and long! We found a spot to relax and swim, but the water was 10°C (so cold, hahaha!). It's still a gorgeous place to visit! Remember, it's better with chairs, snacks, kayaks, paddleboards, and drinks! It's so nice to set aside city and technology life! Just for sure, we are looking to rest and swim and not to hike! But still it is a beautiful nature to see

A vibrant trail with some sensational views! The Thunder Knob trail is a short but moderate 3.5…read moremile out and back trail that's located within North Cascades National Park. The trail begins just behind Diablo Lake and crosses over the beautiful rushing waters of Colonial Creek. It then begins to gently switchback through a lush forest that's filled with beautiful Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock trees. The trail is mostly shaded but features a few breaks within the trees that will reveal some amazing glimpses of the snowcapped mountaintops. As you ascend up the trail, you're rewarded with gorgeous views of the forest and mountains. The forest vegetation is super versatile. I was able to spot daisies, ferns, Western Hemlocks, Douglas Firs, an array of different wildflowers, and so on. The views are the best at the top, of course. There's this stunning vista point that features an aerial view of Diablo Lake with the striking North Cascades Mountain Range in the background. If there was ever a time to get a photo while on this hike, THIS is where you need to do it. It's simply breathtaking to witness. This is also a great spot to bring a picnic and/or take a lunch or snack break for heading back down to finish the second half of the hike. What I genuinely loved about this trail (aside from the views) was how incredibly green it is. The vibrancy is out of this world. Also, to see how clear Diablo Lake is from the top is just insane. It doesn't even look real, but it definitely is! The best part about hiking this trail is being able to literally walk right down to lake to relax after you've finished your hike. It's the perfect reward, and hiking this trail was truly a wonderful experience.

Came here on a Friday afternoon around 3:30PM, long gravel road to the trailhead, quite a few cars…read moreparked there too. Bathroom and map at the trailhead. Hike is pretty steep, constantly uphill for about 3 miles, all in the trees though. Mosquitoes around, bug spray is good. After 3 miles, trail goes down pretty steeply, lake was really pretty, not very cold water! Sat there for a bit to enjoy the water and view, really calming. Didn't see very many people on the trail, had the lake to ourselves. Bad part of the hike is the need to go back uphill after the lake, but it's not too bad. Took 2 hours to get to the lake, 2 hours back, was a bit dark and got a bit cold towards the end of the hike. Hiking poles definitely helped!

It is 11.5 miles, you have to park your car 2 miles before the trail starts which adds up total or…read more4 extra miles. It would be good idea to go on sunny day and start hike early. We went around 8:00am got at lake around 11:30am, only few small breaks and took 3 hours to come back. When we reached the lake it was mesmerizing. Thinks to remember: 1.Take a lot of water and snacks with you. It is hard hike so stay hydrated. 2. Bug spray if needed we had it but did not use it because bugs were not too bad. 3. Go early to beat the heat and this hike requires $5 day use fee and Northwest forest pass. 4. Since it's not 7.5 miles be ready to do extra 4 miles. Total of 11.5miles This hike was hardest hike for us so far but the view worth the hike. I would highly recommend to go there at lest once in life time. The view is breathtaking!!! Good luck, you will love it.!!

Diablo Lake is undoubtedly stunning. It's most notable feature is its gorgeous turquoise color,…read morecaused by the reflection of "rock flour". We saw the lake in its full glory both on a sunny and cloudy day - and it is spectacular in any weather. We accessed the lake in two ways - once directly to the lake via campground, and then the second time (drove around it) to the vista point where you can get a full view. Enjoy!

What a beautiful place to visit in North Cascades National Park!!…read more Pictures do not do this beautiful lake justice. This water is unlike anything I have ever seen before - so green and clear and so unique to North Cascades. We just enjoyed the lake from the overlook, but we saw many more people also going down to the lake. If you don't have time to do much in North Cascades, taking the time to simply enjoy Diablo Lake is a must-stop and well-worth the time.

Such a great little beach park!! It's only accessible by hiking down to it (a little more than a…read moremile one way) but so worth it. It's a beautiful little spot that seems secluded/private. The hike has some decent incline on the way back to your car, so bring your water! The trail itself is pretty shaded so it can be chilly. Dog friendly! Limited parking so be ready for a little wait. The lot closes at dawn. Highly recommend though!!

We love this clean, peaceful park. Never crowded. Birds all around. Green everywhere. Awesome trail.read more

Arrived at 8:30am on a Saturday and the parking lot was mostly empty (less than 10 cars). Bathrooms…read moredon't lock but I was still able to use it by having someone stand in front of it for me. Trail is rocky, muddy and there are many stream crossings. Crampons/micro-spikes are needed if you want to walk around the lake, the snow is compact and icy too.

A gorgeous lake hike during any season :) Come in the winter for some amazing snow, or the summer…read morefor an amazing shimmery lake and a backdrop. This hike is pretty moderate - so maximum reward for not much effort :D

Truly a fun and beautiful trail in the forest. I adivine you read the directions for parking on…read moreAlltrails. And get there early. We arrived approximately 9:00 am. As we were leaving it was getting packed. The trail is really fun through the forest. Up and down traversing through a leafy green heavy fern lined trail. Loads of roots are everywhere so watch your step. The bugs weren't quite as bad as I thought but we were there fairly early. Bring bug spray though. It definitely areas that promote mosquitoes. You can go for a dip. The water is cold and refreshing. I was sure to bring water sandals. Felt so good on my feet. Worth the trek for this beautiful hike. Do it! SYOY!

A fun and easy/moderate hike to do! Heads up! There is a LACK of direction/instructions for…read moreessentially the whole trail. Please rely on your phone's map to navigate you. You definitely do not want to get lost in these woods! Trail was a bit muddy after experiencing some rain. There were two wrecked/old cars on the way to the waterfall. The 2nd one was pretty cool to look at. The hike was about 5 miles long. Highly recommend coming here after it moderately rains because the waterfall looks so much nicer with the amount of water that's flowing! Parking is limited so make sure to not go during busy times.