Sheep Lake to Sourdough Gap

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Region: South Cascades and Mount Rainier

Roundtrip Miles: 6.0

Elevation Gain (feet): 1100

Best Month(s): July or September

Hikeable: July-October

Trailhead Coordinates: 46.8911, -121.5057

Pass: NW Forest

Features: mountain views, lake, wildflowers, wildlife

Water: if you bring a filter, Sheep Lake is a water source

Time: Plan on spending about 3 hours hiking and allow for an additional 30-60 minutes to hang out at the lake, watch marmots play in the scree field, or take a break at the top to enjoy the views.

Summary: This is one of my favorite hikes! The distance and elevation gain are perfect for a few hours of mountain fun. This is a high-elevation hike, 6400 feet at the highest point, so while it’s only 6 miles with 1100 feet of gain, I definitely feel it a bit more than the lower elevation hikes. The trail is mostly really nice, especially the first half of the hike when you’re in the trees before you get to Sheep Lake. If you’re looking for a super-easy place to backpack in and camp with your dog, this is it! The lake is small but gorgeous and there are at least a dozen spots to set up camp. Once you swing around the lake, the trail gets a little rockier as you climb up to Sourdough Gap. Most of the elevation gain is also in this second half of the hike. You’ll be up there in no time. As you approach the last leg before reaching Sourdough Gap, look left down the hill with all the scree to the pile of boulders…if you’re lucky you’ll see marmots! We saw three of them scurrying around the morning we hiked this. A few minutes further and you’ve reached the top. You’ll get an amazing view of the lake with Mount Adams in the background here. The view from the other side is also spectacular. This trail can get pretty dusty as summer progresses, so I’d recommend bringing a bandana and sunglasses or safety glasses.

Post-hike Food Stop:

  1. Pita’s Taqueria (Enumclaw): the only seating they have are a few small tables outdoors, so if there aren’t any open, head a couple blocks over to MacFarland Park to eat your food. Huge burritos, chicken or pork tamales on the weekends.
  2. Il Siciliano Ristorante Italiano (Enumclaw): Lobster Ravioli, Portobello Mushroom Ravioli
  3. Wally’s Drive-In (Buckley): milkshakes, fries, and burgers all delicious…the fish not so much.

Note: The restaurants and breweries denoted with * are potentially dog-friendly for their outdoor seating. Their patio dining may only be open during summer, however. You should always check with each restaurant to see if outdoor space has a separate entrance and if they are willing to accommodate well-behaved dogs. I would never assume just because a place has allowed dogs in the past that this is still the case.