Northwest Washington Hikes: Damfino Lakes

Do you know the wonders of the northwest? Have you visited every nook and cranny of the rolling foothills of Mount Baker, the lush forests and rocky beaches, and everything in between?

Well, neither have I.

There are so many places to explore, and though it is quite impossible, I look forward to discovering every single one.


However, this has been a summer of very little hiking and camping. Blasphemy, I say! Between work and attending nursing assistant classes, house-sitting and taking care of critters, there seems to have been little time to take a few days off to enjoy one of my favorite activities in the world.

So I finally set some time aside for a lovely escapade in the mountains. Thank god.


Three friends and I, as well as two adventure woofs took off on a beautiful, sunny afternoon, sleeping bags and lots of snacks in stow. Damfino Lakes and beyond was the destination. On the drive, I sang Beatles songs and the two guys debated about Dungeons & Dragons. This topic would be a common occurrence during the trip.

"...and the vampire would call his minions to do his bidding"
"What is the likelihood that a Mindflayer could..."

The air is so clean out in the wilderness. Intoxicating.


The trail began with a steady uphill path, enveloped in green vegetation. About .7 miles in you have the option of going left to (Canyon Ridge Trail), but we stayed to the right towards Damfino Lakes. The trail is well marked.

We saw several groups of people, as it is a very popular trail. All were friendly and adored Clif and Sophie, the two dogs leading the way.*

A mile in are Damfino Lakes, which for some reason I imagined as higher up and made up of glacier water. Not so. My friends and I were keen on the idea of jumping into that glacier lake in our nudey pants in the evening, a dreadful tradition we happily uphold. However, a lovely pond-like lake is what we found. Watch out for skeeters!


Lovely wildflowers spotted the overwhelming greenness.**



Also, this is one of my favorite colors:


The vibrant green against a vivid blue... Ah! So beautiful. The path crosses a vast meadow on the side of a mountain. You'll see the first views of what I believe is Church Mountain and other smaller peaks. This path was punctuated with remarks like "I wish I could cast repel vermin" or perhaps "gust of wind."


The last stretch was an uphill battle, and let me tell you--I was feeling my summer without hikes. The burning in my lungs felt right. How sad is it that I was having issues climbing those stairs? I am ashamed, I tell you. Very ashamed.

These thoughts subsided when we reached the peak of a hill along High Divide trail. Amazing! Three-hundred and sixty degree views of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, the Rockies to the north, even Rainier in the distance! This is Lingfei drinking in the surroundings.


That reminds me: This was Lingfei's first camping experience! I wish the bugs hadn't been such a bother, but they were not as bad as they could have been. We decided this was the perfect spot to set up camp, despite the rocky ground. You could not beat the views. Look! Rainier:


Lingfei and I set up the tent as the boys gathered some fallen limbs for a campfire, and then we ate supper in temporary dwelling. Scrambled eggs, grainy toast and cheese, bananas, granola bars, and mango-bean salad was on the menu. Mealtime is always so satisfying when you're camping because you're so hungry that everything tastes delicious. Mmmm.

Woohoo, family portrait!


So we ate, then went to make the fire. Well, honestly the boys did most of that. Let me tell you, Alex makes the best fires, blazing and angry. Beautiful.


Did I mention we went camping on a full moon? No?? There she is rising over Shuksan!


I can't believe I forgot to mention that. The night-sun illuminated the countryside, bright as a bulb. Oh, that's a terrible metaphor. It doesn't do justice. Bright as a... "lustrous shining globe of beauty." I had to ask Alex how to describe it--He did much better. The night intensified his and Chris's imaginations.

Alex: "What would you do if a ..."
Chris: "Probably just ignore it until it went away..."

They're funny.

The four of us slept snugly in our three-man tent, and unfortunately Sophie and Clif had to sleep outside with the insects. Luckily, a slight breeze blew the flies and mosquitos away for the most part.

The sunrise in the morning was as spectacular as the moonrise the night before, and she brought with her a blanket of blue. Pure, intense blue. The downhill hike back to the car took much less time than the way up. Obviously. The dogs took a dip in the lakes. Sophie is the queen of swimming, and Clif always loses on the way to the stick, but they share. It's cute.


I definitely recommend this one. Serene. Easy. Accessible. One more picture!


From Bellingham go east following the Mount Baker highway. Travel 31 miles to the Mount Baker Service Center*** where you can purchase a parking permit (only five dollars), then travel two more miles on the highway turning left on Canyon Creek Road. Follow this well-maintained back road for 16 miles. After the bridge, be sure to stay left at forks in the road. The trailhead is marked and there is a privy.

This is a dog-friendly trail. Don't forget doggy bags!

As always, pack out all wastes.

*Perhaps I am making that up because I am biased--They actually startled several people on the way. Attack dogs!
**Did I mention the northwest is very green? I think I've pointed that out too many times.
***You may want to stop in and fill up on water, use the restrooms, etc.