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Thompson Lake 1009.1		      

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Ranger's Report Weather Road Condition    
Distance: 1 mile (6.2 total)    
Hiking Time: 3 hours    
Trailhead Elevation: 800 ft    
Elevation Gain: 3500 ft    
Season: June - October    
Difficulty: Strenuous    
Rating: Best - Very Good - Good - Fair    
Use: Moderate    
Users: Hikers    
Region: Snoqualmie Ranger District  
Maps: USGS Bandera
Snoqualmie Ranger District Map
Printable Topo Map 		buy maps online
Permits: Northwest Forest Pass is required
Alpine Lakes Wilderness Regulations 		 
Driving Directions:        
From Seattle take I-90 East to Exit 34. Turn left at the Stop. In 0.6 mile turn right onto SE Middle Fork Road (#56). In 2.5 miles there is big parking on the left side of the road (right after gravel road starts). Do not go to the gates across the road, but continue further up the SE Middle Fork Road for 0.3 mile to the next gate on the right. There are no parking and therefor it is better to leave your car at Mail Box Peak parking.
Trailhead:        
Big parking, no campsites, no water, no toilets.
Trail:        
From the gates follow Granite Creek Road for 2.7 miles to the bridge over Granite Creek. The road climbs gradually. After the bridge crossing the road gets steeper and in 1.5 miles reaches junction with Granite Lake road to the right. There are two picnic tables there. The next mile to Thompson Lake trailhead is very steep and rough. The trailhead is hard to miss - road turns left sharply and the trail goes straight. The trail is well maintained. In 0.1 mile it quickly descends to the creek and then starts climbing steeply again for another 0.5 mile until it reaches the ridge and then quickly descends to the lake (about0.4 mile / 700 feet). Near the lake there is a junction with Mount Defiance Trail # 1009 that goes to the right (along the east side of the lake). The lake is very beautiful, with crystal clear waters and three islands in the middle of it. There are several nice campsites on the east side of the lake. It was raining hard, so this is the best picture that we could make . If you were lucky, and have a good picture, please share it with everyone out there.
         
         
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