The joke is told on hiking trails across the Northwest: “There better be a Starbucks at the top.” But with crisp mountain lakes by the hundred, what waits at the end of Washington hikes might even beat a Frappucino. These swimming holes are fed by glaciers and fresh rains, usually with a stunning backdrop.
Remember that at high elevations, these lakes can be a lot colder than they look. Remote locations are hardly the place to risk hypothermia or injury from a cliff dive. Washington Trails Association gathered tips for dunking into alpine waters, and they don’t recommend a cannonball. The organization is also our favorite resource for hiking details like trailhead
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