Talapus & Ollalie Lakes Hiking Guide
Talapus & Ollalie Lakes
Distance
6.2 miles
ELEVATION GAIN
1250 feet
Area
Snoqualmie, I-90
Difficulty
Easy - Moderate
Permits
NW Forest Pass
Hike Summary
After lazily waking on Black Friday, I made coffee and had the lovely plan to have no plans. Then I felt the sun shoot through my window and its warmth (or something close to that) beckoned to me. What could I do but oblige? Plus, I could finally reach my goal of hiking 200 miles in 2020!
Being that it was 10am - a late start by my hiking standards - we needed something close by that preferably wouldn’t be overrun by the masses. The answer: Talapus and Ollalie Lakes. This trail checks all the boxes for a quick hike: an hour drive from Seattle, gentle terrain and a sweet, snowy landscape to gawk at.
Arriving at the Trailhead
Being that Washington is a hiker’s paradise as it is, then adding in that everyone seems to be getting outside these days and finally throwing in that it was Black Friday, we expected a decent hoard of people. We drove about ten miles on Forest Road 9030, which certainly has its fair share of potholes (but can be navigated by any vehicle) and began to see the conga line of cars leading to the trailhead. For counting about 60 cars (20 of which can actually park in the lot), I was shocked by how tame the trail actually felt. There were people, of course, but it never felt overcrowded. This made for a far more pleasant experience.
Trailhead > Ollalie Lake
After an easy 1.2 miles under the forest canopy, Ollalie Lake emerged on the left side of the trail. With a few people at the lake, we opted to continue to Talapus and visit Ollalie on the way back if it so tickled our fancy. As a side note, a trail toilet is available here, if needed.
Ollalie > Talapus Lake
Just after passing Ollalie, the snow was more pronounced - nothing crazy by any means, but we slapped on our micro spikes to make the going easier. This portion is noticeably steeper than the first part, but again, nothing crazy. Despite being sunny, it was a very wet experience. The sun filtered beautifully through the trees and began melting the snow on the treetops, often falling in large chunks that, rather inconveniently, felt like they had a magnetic attraction to my head. Nevertheless, it was a delightful jaunt through the woods, no complaints here.
A mere 1.8 miles later, we found ourselves (and about a dozen others) at the opening to Talapus Lake. It was a beautiful sight with the beginnings of winter at front and center; the frozen lake was surrounded by green trees dusted with white and rising above them were snow-covered mountains. We tried to find a more solitary spot by walking around the lake, however, the snow was not packed down enough and begin getting about thigh-deep - no thank you. To the right of the opening was one glorious spot (taken, unfortunately), and to the left was a more packed down trail with what I shall dub little pull-outs to enjoy a snack break with a view, or in my case, a beer break with a view. That counts as calories, right?
Talapus Lake > Trailhead
Once we had our fill of snowy vistas (read: when the chill set in), we moseyed back the way we came. With the sun in full-force (thank you, sun), the going was much slushier than before. We briefly stopped at Ollalie which was easy on the eyes. It’s a bit more popular, due in part to being the proximal lake to the trailhead, I imagine.
PreparE for Your Hike
Gear
Whether or not I plan to use them, I make sure to pack micro spikes, trekking poles, gloves, down jacket, first-aid kit and headlamp (it gets darker earlier and you never know!). Gaiters are also helpful to keep the feet dry. I dress in layers (duh) and bring along hand warmers, too (bless the person that invented those). For Talapus and Ollalie, I recommend a rain jacket as well - don’t let that sunshine fool you.
need to restock your pack? Check out my guide for Must-Have Hiking Gear!
Plan for snow
In addition to appropriate gear, it is important to know what to expect and plan ahead.
Check the weather: Did it snow in the last few days? Did it rain recently? If so, the snow may be icier and slippery. Sunny? Prepare for mud and slush.
Road conditions: Trail reports on WTA are great to plan ahead and determine if your car is suitable for the forest road. I’ve had to turn around at trailheads (or huff it to them) if the snow was too deep to pass in a car.
Plan B: With changing conditions, I like to have a Plan B hike nearby.
Communicate: Avalanches happen. Falls on ice happen. Even on “easy” trails it is good practice to tell a friend where you are hiking, just to be safe.
GPS: Trails are harder to find under a big ol’ blanket of snow so a map is real handy. On AllTrails, you can download the map to your phone.
More info
View more hiking details for Talapus and Ollalie Lakes on Washington Trails Association or AllTrails.