Ira Spring Trailhead

13 Best Hikes in Seattle | Condé Nast Traveler

"You access this mountain lake through a trail named for one of the Northwest's most active conservationists, Ira Spring. Not only is the destination a picturesque, sometimes glassy mountain lake, but the hike is both a hearty workout and scenic celebration. A well maintained route switchbacks up an open slope dotted with wildflowers, then ducks into a shaded forest. Brave hikers take a dip in the lake itself, with waters that are frigid year-round. The foliage along the ascent may be known for its early summer flowers, but the fall foliage erupts into a display of oranges and yellows in between the gray boulders that make up the hillside." - Hannah Kirshner, Allison Williams