Beautiful Fall Colors!  Great 360 vistas.

Hot and dry hike up Patterson Mountain. Few summer blooms, a whole lot of dry spent spring blossoms. Great views of several peaks.

Parked across the street at the lake, trail is well marked and clear. I saw wild flowers, birds, tiny lizards and big views of the methow valley and rocky snow capped north cascades. This is a hike in full sun so prepare accordingly. It took me 1 hour and 40 minutes total, felt like a relatively easy hike to me but I’m fit and in my 30’s. I’d recommend this hike if you wanna get outside for a bit but don’t wanna burn out your energy.

There’s still time to catch the Heart Leaf Arnica and purple Lupin on this gorgeous loop trail. We recommend doing the South Loop first, bagging the summit, which has amazing 360 views of the Methow Valley and nearby mountains. Return on the North Loop. Our dog had a quick swim in Patterson Lake before and after! A gorgeous Sound of Music hike!

The balsamroot blooms are mostly faded, though en masse they still look nice. There are some other nice flowers, like the bitterroot in the photo I posted. There was some good bird activity in the thickets, including the beautiful blue lazuli bunting. The Merlin app ID'ed them and luckily I brought both my binoculars and my patience, and I finally saw a couple.

Rattlesnake alert! The rattlesnakes are out from their dens in the Methow Valley and are seen sunning themselves on trails, rocks or stumps on nearly every trail at some point. They are out the same time the balsamroot is blooming. I always wear higher top hiking boots this time of year and I watch where I step. I keep my dog on a short leash and don't let him go rooting around in brush. Western rattlesnakes really don't want any trouble; they also don't want you to step on them.