Packwood Lake — Saturday, Jul. 5, 2025

After reading the reports about how busy this spot gets, we decided to hit the trail around 6:30am and there were only a couple other groups headed out at the same time. We were lucky to arrive as a group was leaving and their spot was perfect. Thought the lake would be a lot colder but it wasn't too bad! We swam for quite a while, just wait for the day to warm up. Bugs were annoying but not as bad as I expected. There are a few nice streams running into the lake that are perfect for filtering. Trail was well maintained and easy. The lack of elevation gain makes this a great first backpacking trip for anyone looking to start, especially since we were able to have a fire and there's a bathroom if needed. Do note that unless you're really lucky, you'll likely be a ways away from the bathroom so bring what you need and bring TRASH BAGS so you can pack everything out.