We trekked into Government Meadows on the Pacific Crest Trail heading towards Chinook Pass on Thursday July 15th. It was over 95 degrees in Yakima the day before so we expected cooler temps in the mountains. However, a cold front had moved in from the coast and we had a few showers at times with temps around 48 F with wind. There were very few bugs.

The hike upwards is gentle and in thick forest. It's about 5 miles to Louisiana Saddle. When we reached the Saddle at about 2:00 pm a cold north wind and foggy mist prevailed. Holding to my old scout training and mantra "Be Prepared", we quickly adjusted to fall like conditions - down vest, gloves, keep dry, don't chill, and get some calories for the next phase.

We made camp about 3:30 at a great campsite at Arch Rock Springs with a great source for water and protection from wind. We made a good warm Campfire. There are very few spots for drinking water on this leg of the PCT, (Maybe one in 7 miles from the start).

We stayed three days and enjoyed warmer temps and no more showers. Day 2 we hiked 2.5 miles further south to trail 951 that starts at Ravens Roost. We ventured even further to the Echo Lake trail and Airplane Meadows. The name was given because a small plane crashed years ago and the wreckage is still there. I took my sons and family up there about 25 years ago and we found the wreckage, mostly bent steel and rust. Very sad....

Round trip Hike - about 20 miles....
Ed Becker - Yakima Mountain Goat

Note: I drafted this trip report because I could not find one for this trail - all the search results led to Arch Rock, not Arch Rock Trail. I hiked Arch Rock Trail (USFS trail 1187) as part of a 3-day loop beginning at the Greenwater Lakes trail head, passing Echo Lake to the PCT, then northward and back down Naches Trail. The US Forest Service trail description was technically accurate, but left out a few details that need to be shared. First, although there is signage from the Greenwater Lakes Trail (USFS trail 1176) junction, the last sign you pass at mile 0.3 reads 'trail to north shore' of Echo Lake. It was there we guessed the beginning of the ascent. Second, once you leave the flat shoreline along the Southeast side of Echo Lake, you climb approximately 1,850 feet in 1.5 miles - that is steep! Stop and rest often, there are very few switchbacks or areas that level off until you reach the top. Third, this trail isn't heavily used, which made navigating difficult at times - look for distant stubs made from clearing down trees years ago and small trunks laid down to guide the path. Finding signs of the trail while descending would be very difficult as compared with looking upward. As stated in the USFS description, there is a stream at mile 2.4 within the first meadow you encounter. At a foot in width it flowed with just enough to gather suitable water to filter. Just beyond there is a wide open grassy saddle with lots of level ground to camp, and we did just that. 0.4 of a mile further you reach Airplane Meadow, which has a pleasant flat sandy area for camping. Finally, at mile 3.1 you reach the PCT. We saw no one else on this trail. Weather was overcast and although the trees whistled with wind, our campsite remained relatively calm. Although we started our trip with mid-60s temperature the day before, at our 5,700 foot high camp site there was a thick layer of frost on the bear canister by next morning. No wildlife was encountered. There were few bugs and no bear scat, but lots of Elk pellets. The Arch Rock Trail made for a very challenging finish to the first leg of a 3-day trip. However, reaching this was point made for spectacular views along the easy slope of the PCT and the descent in the days following.

This lollypop loop starts at the PCT from Rd 7080 past the Greenwater/Echo Lakes trailhead. The trail is a bit hard to see, but you will see a gravel road and just to the left of it a small trail with a PCT sign. You go through several patches of ripe huckleberries and then into the shade of the forest before coming out to Government Meadows and the PCT shelter located there. The shelter is a wonderful structure and there are privies there for use. Follow the PCT south past some breathtaking views and amazing orange sandstone? formations, until you get to Airplane Meadows on your right. I recommend cutting through Airplane Meadows so you can see the remains of an old plane and then through the field to the trail sign post. The trail is easy to follow for a bit, but then gets lost in the fresh grass in a smaller meadow. Head toward the rocky ground to the right and see the trail heading left into the forest. Here you hit some very cool basalt rocks as you steeply descend down toward Echo Lake. The water was freezing even on a hot day, but perfect for cooling the feet. The next turn off, just 1.8 miles from he trail junction at Echo Lake is very easy to miss, but you should turn off to the right onto the Maggie Creek Trail # 1186. This trail is a bit rough, especially as you get further along - trees across the trail, water crossings, etc. Work your way back up (the trail gets nice again the last half mile as you approach the PCT) to the junction you had passed earlier in the day just a mile south of Government Meadows and head on back up to your car.

This is really an addendum to the other Arch Rock trip reports in the last month. The most difficult of the downed trees are between Rod's Gap and Louisiana Saddle on a fairly steep side hill. The view points on the trail are at the switchback before Rod's Gap, at the top of the erosion gullies south of Louisiana Saddle and on the hillside just beyond the boot trail to Arch Rock Spring and Arch Rock. The best views are from Arch Rock. Arch Rock does exist and it is not an arch. It is a rocky high point on a secondary ridge to the west of the spring (about 0.3 miles line-of-sight and 250ft higher). A 0.6 mile boot trail takes off from the PCT at the point where the PCT turns away from Arch Rock Spring, at the informal sign nailed onto a tree for the spring. Follow the boot trail to the north for about 0.1 mile, passing the spring, and reach a junction just above a major campsite. Take the left branch at the junction and follow the boot trail on a short traverse and then a direct climb up to the ridge crest. The boot trail follows the ridge crest, sometimes very close to the nearly vertical drop off the north side. It drops to cross a secondary gully and then climbs through steep grass and dirt to the rocky summit. From the summit there are about 270 degrees of views, from the SE around to Mt. Rainier in the SW all the way to the NE. Unfortunately, on this day the 8000ft overcast precluded the distant views.

There are 72 blow downs between the trail head and Arch Rock. Wear pants to protect your legs as you climb over these trees. Some are easy to navigate, while some are difficult. The hike is fairly flat, but the blow downs require climbing in places. This is a quiet, shaded hike, without many views. There were nice wildflowers in spots. It was relatively secluded and we only passed a few hikers. To get to the trailhead, go to the end of FS70. There is a fork in the road when you are almost there. Go right towards Government Meadows. The trail head has a toilet. It is about 1/4 mile from the trailhead to the PCT. There are a few shooting ranges set up on FS70 as you drive up to the hike. Expect to see and hear semi-automatic or rapid fire rifles on the road and during your hike. Several dirt bikes were enjoying the area too. There were some potholes on FR 70, but it was easy to avoid them.