Shoe Lake
Washington
It’s a 7-mile hike to Shoe Lake, but not overly difficult. Follow the well-graded Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) through cool forest and along an open craggy ridge to this pretty little lake tucked in an open alpine meadow. The wildflowers are sublime. The views are breathtaking—especially of Rainier hovering over the Hogback Ridge. And mountain goats are abundant here in this sprawling wilderness named for them. Photo © copyright by Robert Faucher.