Olallie Lake is an

alpine lake Alpine lakes are classified as lakes at high altitudes in mountainous zones, usually near or above the tree line, with extended periods of ice cover. These lakes are commonly formed from glacial activity (either current or in the past) but can al ...

and one of several in the area fed by streams coming off the glaciers from nearby Mount Adams. A small, but popular Olallie Lake Campground offers scenic camping as well as non-motorized boating and fishing experiences. It is located at 4,200 feet elevation in the

Gifford Pinchot National Forest Gifford Pinchot National Forest is a National Forest located in southern Washington, managed by the United States Forest Service. With an area of 1.32 million acres (5300 km2), it extends 116 km along the western slopes of Cascade Ran ...

, in

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

state.

History

Olallie Lake in

Skamania County Skamania County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,036. The county seat and largest incorporated city is Stevenson, although the Carson River Valley CDP is more populous. The ...

has been a popular recreational destination since the early 1900s and was known to Native Americans while berry picking in the

Midway High Lakes Area Midway High Lakes Area, also known as High Lakes Area, is a United States Forest Service–designated area located in Washington (state), Washington’s Cascade Mountains. It lies on a high plateau on Mount Adams (Washington), Mount Adams' northwe ...

Recreation

The small, 15.8 acre lake is popular for

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more nat ...

, and

photography Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed ...

, while offering outstanding views of Mount Adams and its sheer, glaciated northwest face as well as Adams Glacier, the second largest

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...

in the contiguous United States. Adjacent Olallie Lake Campground is administered by the Cowlitz Ranger District of the

. The small, but semi-popular five site campground features a boat ramp allowing non-motorized boating and canoeing. The High Lakes Trail #116 and East Canyon Trail #265, are located near the lake and offers hikers and backpackers more views of the mountain as well as lakes, creeks, and scenic forests. The High Lakes Trail crosses the lower end of the Takh Takh Lava Flow after descending on several switchbacks down to Adams Creek. The lake is a popular summer destination, and can be accessed via Primary Road 23, to Road 5601 from Trout Lake at the southern side of Mount Adams. From

Randle Randle, as a surname or a given name, may refer to: Surname: * Betsy Randle (born 1955), American actress * Bill Randle (1923–2004), American disc jockey, lawyer and university professor * Brian Randle (born 1985), American NBA coach and basketba ...

or Packwood in the north, it can be accessed via Primary Road 23, to Road 5601; or alternately from Packwood south on Primary Road 21, east on Road 2160, southwest on Road 56, and south on Road 2329. The loop from Packwood south to Takhlakh Lake and the surrounding Midway High Lakes including Olallie Lake, northwest along the scenic

Cispus River The Cispus River is about long and flows into the Cowlitz River at Lake Scanewa in the Cascade Range of Washington. Its tributaries drain most of south-central and southeastern Lewis County, extreme northeast Skamania County, and some of wester ...

, and back east to Packwood along

US Route 12 U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is an east–west United States highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan, for almost . The highway has mostly been superseded by Interstate 90 (I-90) and I-94, but unlike most U.S. routes tha ...

makes up the High Lakes Loop (Scenic Driving) from the

White Pass Scenic Byway White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

. File:Takh Takh Lava Flow.jpg, Takh Takh Lava Flow File:Majestic Mount Adams.jpg, Adams Glacier cascades down the northwest face of Mount Adams in a series of icefalls.

History

Recreation

References

See also