Moran State Park - Mount Constitution via Mountain Lake — Monday, Mar. 12, 2007

Puget Sound and Islands > San Juan Islands

Location: Moran State Park, Orcas Island. Ever since I first saw the views from Mount Constitution, I have wanted to visit the lakes visible below. Ferry timings and family commitments had kept me from hiking down to them. On this trip I finally got this obsession out of my system. To save time I had decided that it would have to be a 1-way trip starting from Mountain Lake (my drop-off point) and ending at 2,407ft Mount Constitution (the pick-up point). The start of the hike was a gentle walk along the west edge of Mountain Lake. The route was mostly wooded, but the views of Mountain Lake were quite nice. At the northern end of the lake I headed northwards towards Twin Lakes. This is a lovely part of the trail, in which I climbed up through a gentle valley beside a burbling stream. A one-word description of the trail would be “Green!” A spider web of old logs covered the valley floor, themselves covered by velvety moss. Stately trees shaded the entire route, and little ponds emerged from time to time. In no time at all I arrived at Twin Lakes: I must confess that these ended up being a disappointment...much better to view them from up high. However, it was soon back to the more worthwhile part of the hike. As I began the stiffish climb up to Mount Constitution, paradoxically, the route got even prettier. The moss seemed to get greener, and even the trail became a green carpet of pine needles. I saw not a soul, and enjoyed myself immensely. Finally, I reached the summit of Mount Constitution to spectacular views. Stats: 3.6mi, 1500ft of gain, 1.5hrs