Blue Lake Trail Head Blue Lake Trail, Cascade, ID 83611

"One of my favorite hikes around the cascades, has a lot of elevation in a short time but is a tremendous hike for all ages! Ease into the lake if swimming to avoid thermo shock, but water is very clean and clear !"

"Beautiful place to hike. It’s pretty steep to go down in and then you have that steep hike out but it’s worth it! Just remember take breaks as needed and enjoy the beautiful wildflower scenery and the refreshing lake at the end."

"A pretty steep, rocky hike. About 1 mile down to the lake and 1 mile back. To the lake is downhill, and coming back is uphill. We went in July, and there were stunning fields of wildflowers all along the hike. Also, beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. The Blue Lake is pretty, but I thought the wildflowers were the highlight of the trip. Wear hiking boots or shoes with good grip. There are areas of loose, dusty soil that would be easy to slip on. I would describe this as a moderate hike, especially on the way back. The steep, rocky, and loose terrain is a little challenging to navigate. To get to the parking lot at the trail head, you have to drive about 8 steep miles on a bumpy dirt/gravel road. My relative, who was driving, was worried about his car's suspension on the way up and the brakes on the way down. He ended up switching to down-shifting on the way down to not overheat the brakes. The parking area is small and was full when we arrived. We were able to park on the grass near the official parking spaces. Driving to the trail head is challenging, and the hike is challenging, but the beauty is totally worth it!"

"The road is slow with lots of washboard. The hike is straight down, therefore, straight back up. Families and kids are doing it. Nasty vault toilet at the top. Be sure to take your sanitizer. ( actually, a haz mat suit would be sufficient or a fire hose to clean off with) Lots of bugs. Skeeters out to get you!! It probably sounds awful, but it was a great hike and beautiful place."