* Directions on WTA to Big Creek Trail are wrong, as is the pin on the map.* This lake is easy enough to get to, IF you have your own map with forest roads clearly marked. BRING A DRIVING MAP and map out your directions ahead: from Tacoma on 706, after you pass through Ashford about a mile, look for Skate Creek Road on your Right. It is not well signed. Then you'll look for FR 84 on the right, maybe a few miles up the road. It can't be found on google maps AND there's no street sign for it. You have to look up the road and you'll see a small brown marker up the road with '84' on it. If you pass the 'closed for winter' sign, you've passed it. Once you're on this road, it's a bit easier to find FR 8420, which rises up to your right. The trailhead isn't marked as Cora Lake, it simply has the number of the trail.
Hiked this with my three tweens and a pup on a Wednesday. We chose the Big Creek Trail in part because the description said it was less elevation. I was expecting a lot flatter trail, which is not the case. It's definitely a steady uphill, with all the tween complaining that comes with that. Thankfully, it is mercifully short.
There are definitely bugs up here - we found mostly those tiny lazy flies that continuously land on you. I was able to ignore them mostly, one of my kids was really bothered by them.
Great swimming lake, sandy/muddy bottom, LOTS of tadpoles. Found a few very tart blueberries.
We were first at lake at around noon, and over the afternoon, about 4-6 other groups arrived. Great lake if you're trying to branch out this pandemic season where everything is crowded.
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