For detailed trip info, route maps and pictures checkout my blog
Trip Report
Jordan Lakes — Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018
North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
Type of Hike
OvernightTrail Conditions
Trail difficult/impossible to navigate:Trees down across trail,
Overgrown in places.
Road
Road suitable for all vehiclesBugs
Bugs were an annoyanceSnow
Snow free
Comments
jeffdill on Jordan Lakes
Hi there! Looks like the website link is down, do you have any details you can share?
Posted by:
jeffdill on Aug 09, 2023 07:37 PM
Beta
Hi Jeff,
Unfortunately I took the site down 4 years ago when I had my son. Too expensive for how little I was posting at the time. I plan to start it back up again in a year or two. Here is the TR that was posted on the site:
Jordan lakes were once a popular backpacking destination with a maintained trail and campsites. Although there are still a few remnants left of this time, like an old toilet and a few decent campsites, the trail is definitely abandoned and has because very overgrown. Nowadays you would be hard-pressed to find the trail on any map. If you possess navigation and route finding skills and don’t mind light bushwhacking you will be rewarded with solitude at two beautiful alpine lakes complete with lake side camp sites and excellent fishing, something that can be difficult to find now that hiking and backpacking are growing in popularity again.
The lakes began to lose their popularity when large blow downs blocked the road, adding a 3 mile road walk each way for a total of about 14 miles and 2500ft of elevation gain roundtrip to reach both Jordan lakes. The unofficial trailhead now begins just past the Slide lake trailhead. From Darrington head north on 530 towards Rockport for 16 miles and turn right onto Illabot Creek road (FR 16). From Sedro-Wooley head east 38 miles towards Rockport, turn right onto 530 and then left onto Illabot Creek Road after 2.5 miles. Drive this surprisingly well maintained gravel road for 20 miles to the Slide lake trailhead. Potholes are minimal but the brush is beginning to close in so expect some “trail rash” on the sides of your car. There is enough parking for about 4-5 cars on the left near the blowdown just past Slide lake trailhead.
Begin by hiking 3 miles and 1200ft up the pleasant (although open, hot and sometimes brushy) old road to the lost Jordan lakes trailhead. The road is mossy in places which makes for easy walking and has nice views along the way. The trailhead can be difficult to spot. After a long traverse and a couple of switchbacks on the road you will come to an open, flat area with two brown metal posts on the right hand side. These are just before the road begins to dip back down towards a creek. Look for a large uprooted blowdown after the second brown metal post on the right and you will spot the trail. We set up cairns here once but they were knocked down. Probably by fisherman who would like to keep the lakes a secret.
The trail begins by paralleling the creek, keeping it on the left hand side. It then goes up and down over blowdowns and through a nice meadow with a pond before eventually coming to the top of a large boulder field. The trail can be very brushy in places and difficult to spot, especially in blowdown areas. Currently there are a lot of pink, yellow and orange markers. We lost the trail several times but were able to regain it again within a few minutes. After gaining about 600ft with some additional ups and downs you will reach the boulder field and the trail starts heading down 600ft to Lower Jordan lake, keeping the boulder field on your right. It can get pretty steep, rooty and rocky in places on the way down so watch your footing. Eventually, after about 2.5 miles you will pop out at the lake outlet. If you go to the right there is a nice campsite higher up but a good ways above the lake. If you go left and cross the outlet on some large, stable logs you will come to another campsite that is also nice and a little closer to the lake. The campsite with the best lake access is on the opposite side of the lake. The trail continues along the left side of the lake for about three quarters of a mile. It goes up and down and is just as difficult to stay on as the trail in. Fortunately there are markers here as well.
If you wish to continue on to Upper Jordan lake, which is the prettier of the two lakes, be warned that the trail is brushier and more difficult to follow than the trail to lower Jordan lake. There is also only one campsite at Upper Jordan that we could find. It is a very nice campsite right next to the lake but it is only big enough for one small tent. Continue past the last campsite on the trail along Lower Jordan. Eventually you will come to a large flattish area in the trees and the trail will veer slightly up and left passing a large uprooted blowdown on the right and crossing a small creek over a log. Follow this very faint boot path as it continues up for 500ft and about a half mile. Be sure to turn left and start heading up before you reach Jordan creek. We made this mistake the first time we went here, following incorrect markers, and had to back track. This trail gets very steep at times as it switchbacks up, paralleling the creek from the Upper Jordan outlet. If you lose the boot path just head straight up, keeping Jordan creek nearby on your right. The trail gets especially brushy as you get closer to the lake. It then pops out at the outlet. Cross the logjam to a nice, more open area that’s perfect for hanging out at. Continue down the path a short ways further to the campsite just a few feet above the lake.
When we went to Jordan lakes the second time we planned on continuing on to the tarn above Upper Jordan lake. We found a booth path on the right side of the lake after the log jam and followed it until it became completely overgrown. We pushed through thick brush until we got to the small side lake next to Upper Jordan. Some steep side hilling and scrambling down a small boulder field brought us down to the side lake. Unfortunately there were no campsites here. We continued on past the small lake onto a very large boulder field that took a lot of concentration to get though. We decided to call it quits before we reached the end of the boulder field. We had brought a dog who wasn’t too happy about all the bouldering and the thought of swimming and fishing sounded much more enjoyable on an 85 degree day than picking through massive boulders. If you wish to continue past Jordan lakes and don’t mind hours of scrambling, bushwhacking and route finding, Boulder Peak and Granite lakes are also worthy destinations to check out. If, like us, you are content with a more leisurely and relaxing trip, then elect to stay at upper or lower Jordan lakes and enjoy a weekend of fishing, swimming and solitude in the mountains.
Posted by:
thetreemusketeers on Aug 10, 2023 05:14 AM