Hiking the Gothic Basin Trail along Mountain Loop Highway
Contents
Gothic Basin Hike Information
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 15.10Km (9.4 miles)
Elevation Gain: 960m (3,150ft)
Highest Elevation: 1,600m (5,250ft)
Average Gradient: 12.70%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 7 – 8 Hours
– Moderate: 6 – 7 Hours
– Fast: 5 – 6 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Summer
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Gothic Basin Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 48°01’33.4″N 121°26’37.2″W
Gothic Basin Overview
Gothic Basin lies within the specially designated, ecologically sensitive Morning Star Natural Resources Conservation Area, managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. This is a very popular hike for both day hikers and campers, with crowds of people flocking to the region on a sunny summer weekend thanks to its stunning views, myriad of lakes/tarns, and moderate difficulty.
While the hike stats for Gothic Basin aren’t that significant, the trail is very rugged and steep in sections. The miners that first constructed this trail did not follow the usual WA mantra of manicured, well graded switchbacks up the mountain, instead preferring a steep, direct and rocky climb. The first 3km of the hike are a practically flat walk along the Sauk River, meaning the 960m elevation gain is really spread out over the remaining 4.5km of hiking to Foggy Lake, for an average gradient of over 20%.
Camping within Gothic Basin is on a first come, first served basis, so get there early if you intend to go on a weekend. Camping should remain within designated campsites on flat, firm ground so as not to damage the ecosystem.
Parking for Gothic Basin is from Barlow Pass along Mountain Loop Highway, with lots of overflow parking on the side of the road available if needed. It is all 2WD accessible. You will need to buy a Northwest Forest Pass to park here.
Gothic Basin is predominantly a summer hike, with the main season running from July to October. Mountain Loop Highway closes in the winter, typically reopening around Memorial Day and closing again once the snow arrives in the late fall/early winter. In the late spring and early summer you can expect to encounter snow for sections of the trail, and Foggy Lake may remain frozen until mid-summer.
Dogs are welcome in Gothic Basin.
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Is Gothic Basin worthwhile?
Gothic Basin is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, offering stunning views, pristine lakes and dramatic peaks every which way you look. For a relatively moderate hike the rewards are fantastic and it’s easy to see why this is such a popular trail. The only issue is really that the trail is almost too popular, but thankfully the basin is large enough that you can spread out with a little bit of exploration.
How difficult is the hike to Gothic Basin?
As noted the stats are somewhat misleading as the first 3km of the hike are essentially a flat walk along the Sauk River, meaning the entire elevation gain is along the remaining 4.5km ascent to the basin. Once you do eventually start the climb it is a steep uphill grind most of the way. You will have a few respites here and there, but most people just get it over with. Thankfully it’s fairly short lived, at least for day hikers. Campers will certainly feel the effects more.
Technically speaking the hike is rough and ready. Up to 1,100m elevation it’s typical forest travel on dirt and small rocks, but from then on the majority of the trail is on technical, slow moving terrain made up primarily of large, ankle twisting rocks. At times you may need to scramble up and down boulders as the trail takes a direct line up the mountain. Unfortunately this means the descent portion of the hike isn’t much easier or faster than the ascent portion.
Gothic Basin Route Information
As noted, parking for Gothic Basin is from Barlow Pass. There is a designated parking area with a washroom and picnic table here, but there is also a lot of parking along the side of Mountain Loop Highway, which is fortunate as it is always needed thanks to how popular this hike has become. All of it is 2WD accessible.
From the parking lot you’ll briefly follow Mountain Loop Highway to a junction where the Monte Cristo Trail begins beyond a gated road. You’ll now follow the Monte Cristo Trail adjacent to the Sauk River, which is a wide gravel road, for the first 1.5 kilometers. Some people bring a bike and cycle this portion, but it won’t save a lot of time, maybe 10 minutes each way. Keep an eye out for an outhouse and signage indicating Gothic Basin as you’ll now be departing the groomed trail and heading into the forest.
After turning off the Monte Cristo Trail it’s still an easy stroll through the forest for another kilometer before the hike truly begins in earnest. Shortly after crossing Weeden Creek you’ll begin climbing steeply. Initially the trail will be simple forest travel on dirt, but it soon becomes more technical, transitioning to rock.
At around 1,100m you break out of the forest and begin traversing across the steep eastern slopes of Del Campo Peak. Here you’ll scramble across several creeks, and in the early season snow may still be lingering and require careful navigation. Thankfully the views now open up, with the Monte Cristo area peaks to your left.
The trail remains rugged, and in fact it generally becomes more and more technical the closer you get to the basin. Eventually, at around 1,500m elevation you will reach Gothic Pass, the gateway to Gothic Basin. There are a number of options for exploring aimlessly here, with some parties choosing to head to the left towards campsites near the outflow of Weeden Lake, but the majority of people will want to follow a trail to the right and continue their journey to Foggy Lake.
You’ll now pass by Gothic Lake following a fairly obvious trail, but shortly ahead the terrain will become primarily rock and talus, with any semblance of trail vanishing. Cairns will usually aid in your navigation, but as long as you keep climbing, in short order you will reach the shores of the vast Foggy Lake. There are a number of campsites dotted around the lake, but locating them all can be a challenge as the terrain hides them well.
Most parties will stop at Foggy Lake to soak in the views and enjoy the cool waters after a long hike, but I’d strongly advise you to gain some more elevation by following the trail towards Del Campo Peak (counterclockwise around Foggy Lake). With a bit of elevation gain the views become outstanding, with the full scale of Gothic Basin now on full display.
Capable scramblers can consider summiting either Gothic Peak or Del Campo Peak, but these are not for the faint of heart, with both requiring exposed scrambling to reach the summit.
When should I hike Gothic Basin?
Access to Gothic Basin will only be possible once Mountain Loop Highway opens for the year, usually around Memorial Day. Even so, spring and early summer will be a challenging time as snow will be abundant at these elevations well into early summer, so the prime season is really July to October.
Top Tip
If you can go on a weekday it would make your experience more pleasant with less crowds. This is particularly true if you are intending to camp, as campsites are limited and may fill up on a sunny weekend.
Try to gain some elevation beyond Foggy Lake by hiking up towards Del Campo Peak. Adventurous parties could summit the peak, but it does involve exposed class 3 scrambling.
