Mirror Lake, Washington

Looking for a breezy summer hike where your toddler can snack on wild blueberries and splash in an alpine lake? Then Mirror Lake Trail near Snoqualmie Pass will deliver.

Just off a classic bumpy forest road, this family-friendly trail winds gently through shady woods, passes through Cottonwood Lake along the way before opening up to a stunning Mirror lake framed by views of Tinkham Peak.

Not to forget that you will pass two more lakes (Lost Lake and Keechelus Lake) on your drive to the trailhead.

We hiked Mirror Lake trail in late August with our 3.5-year-old and found it perfect for little legs—with ripe wild blueberries and huckleberries lining the path, clear spots to splash in the water, and just enough elevation gain to feel like an adventure without any whining. On hot summer days, Mirror Lake and Cottonwood Lake make for great swimming holes.

In this guide, I’ll share what makes Mirror Lake such a kid-friendly gem, how to get there, tips for timing your visit and hiking with kids.

• Mileage and Elevation:  ~3 miles RT / ~850ft elevation gain.
• Difficulty level: Easy, Kid-friendly (detailed kid report below)
• Location: Snoqualmie Pass
• Estimated time required: 2 to 3 hours.

Mirror Lake Trail Step-by-Step Guide

The hiking guide is broken down into 4 steps – Parking Lot to Cottonwood Lake, Cottonwood Lake to Mirror Lake, At Mirror Lake and Back to the trailhead.

Parking Lot to Cottonwood Lake [0.75 miles, 30-45 mins]

Parking lot to trailhead (0.25 miles) – From the parking lot, you will have to walk ~0.25 miles to the trailhead. You will find the trailhead to your left with a narrow opening and small wooden marker as your signpost.

The path is rocky where you may want to watch toddlers, older kids an manage independently.

Trailhead to Cottonwood Lake (0.5 miles) – The first stop on the trail is Cottonwood Lake which is about half mile in. The path is narrow but easy and takes you through an old growth forest.

You will cross a  stream along the way which is probably the only part of the trail where you may want to watch your kids. The stream had dried out as we were visiting in late summer.

At Cottonwood Lake – About 30 mins in, you will get your first sighting of Cottonwood Lake. The lake is beautifully green and tranquil. You will find folks camping closer to the shore but otherwise, the atmosphere is quiet and serene.

You can make a stop here on your way in to Mirror Lake or on your way out. We chose to stop here on our way back.

Cottonwood Lake to Mirror Lake [1 mile, 30 mins]

The trail section from Cottonwood Lake to Mirror Lake is where we started noticing the abundant berry bushes on both sides of the trail, all the way up to Mirror Lake.

A fellow hiker suggested it was safe to eat these berries and then we saw some other hikers later on the trail going off trail to pluck the berries which assured us it was OK to do so.

And then, there was no stopping our kiddo from plucking the low hanging berries and plopping them in the mouth.

A better idea would have been to carry a bowl/mug, let the kid collect the berries, keep it as an end-reward for the hike and wash them before eating. But that reasoning really didn’t fly.

So we just went with the flow and to make sure she didn’t overdose, we encouraged her to leave some on the bushes for other hikers and forest animals, which surprisingly worked!

This section of the trail is fnice and easy for kids to take the lead on the trail.

At Mirror Lake [30 mins]

Upon reaching Mirror Lake, you will first encounter the northern end and find many spots close to the lake right away.

But we kept walking to the southern end. This stretch is a part of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and you will find Mirror Lake to your right as you walk ahead.

There is a large clearing by the southern end of the lake making it almost like a small beach area. The views of the lake and Tinkham peak in the backdrop felt vast and spectacular from this point.

Enjoy some quiet time or take a dip in the lake on a hot summer day, it feels like spending precious moments in the lap of nature.

Back to the Trailhead [1.5 miles, 1 hour]

Before tracing our steps back, we went further south on PCT for ~5 mins of additional walk-time until we hit a clearing that afforded expansive views of the surrounding mountains and landscape. It is a nice change of scenery, but totally optional.

Head back the way you came and it will probably take up to an hour to get back to the trailhead / parking lot. We needed some additional bribes to get our kiddo walk through the return journey without complaining.

Getting to Mirror Lake Trailhead

Mirror Lake Trailhead Directions

Located near Snoqualmie Pass, the drive from Seattle to Mirror Lake trailhead is ~1.5- hours.

Driving east on I-90, take exit 62 after Keechelus lake and then drive on NF-5480 for ~ 7 miles. The latter part of NF road is not paved and has many potholes. It will slow you down but the road is is drive-able.

Along the way, you will pass by Roaring Creek campground (on Keechelus Lake) and Lost Lake.

The trailhead is called the Mirror Lake Trailhead with Cottonwood Lake coming along the way to Mirror Lake (See map below for an oveview).

We drove to the trailhead during our kiddo’s naptime after lunch and enjoyed an easy and tantrum-free drive. This gave us a chance to admire the scenery along I-90 which as expected is amazing any time of the year. 

With 3 hours of drive time (round-trip) and 3 hours at the hike, this was an awesome day trip for our family.

Mirror Lake Trailhead Parking

You will need Northwest Forest Pass to park here.

Towards the end of NF5480, you will see a sign for Mirror Lake and see some parking spots which is your best bet for parking.

This spot maybe ~0.25 miles from the trailhead but the last section of this road (see pic above) is just not driveable, so recommend not attempting going any further.

An all-terrain vehicle attempted to go upto the trailhead while we were there and even they had to abandon the plans. Not sure how they made it back as there isn’t much space to even turn around.

Tips for Hiking Mirror Lake Trail

Estimated Activity Time

With the roundtrip hike, you can estimate ~3 hours for this activity. This is at kid speed, so there is definitely scope to go faster.

Add to that your drive time. From Seattle, you can expect ~1.5 hour one-way to drive to the trailhead, so a total of 3 hours of round trip driving.

Kid and Family Trip Report

• Infants (upto 1 year) – If you are a regular hiker, then this is a good hike for parents to carry their infants in a carrier. This is not a stroller friendly trail.
• Toddlers (1-3 years) – There will be a few sections with stones and rocks and roots along the trail where you will have to watch your early walkers. But most sections of the hike is toddler friendly. Despite that, I would anticipate carrying the younger ones through the hike.
• Pre-school (3-5 years) and above – Can do this hike independently. This is a good hike to stretch your kids hiking abilities and make them more independent and confident. We did this hike with our 3.5 year old and we did fine.

Amenities

• Restrooms – None at location. Try and visit a gas station or a restaurant before you get to the trailhead.
• Cellular network – None on the trail.

Food

Not available close to the trailhead, but there are plenty of options within driving distance near Snoqualmie Pass, North Bend and Snoqualmie downtown.

Some of our favorite food options along I-90 drive include –

• Around Snoqualmie Pass – Dru Bru brewery and Commonwealth for food makes for a nearby and timely meal option with nice views around.
• Around North Bend – Rio Bravo for Mexican food, its outdoor patio and view of Mt.Si. Many new restaurants are opening up in this area.
• Around Snoqualmie – Snoqualmie brewery and taproom have great outdoor patio by Snoqualmie river.

Mirror Lake Trail Trip Planning

• Day trip – It is an awesome spot for a family friendly activity on a day trip from Seattle. Drive one way from Seattle is ~1.5 to 2 hours. After the hike, consider cooling down at one of the day use areas in Middle Fork Snoqualmie to extend your trip.

• Backpacking trip – Mirror and Cottonwood Lakes make for a great starter backpacking hike. Relatively short driving distance from the city, easy short-distance hike and two beautiful lakes with enough spots to camp at – all of these factors make for a great setting for a trial backpacking trip with kids.

• Weekend trip – If you are spending a hiking weekend in the area, then consider Oxbow Loop Trail or Garfield Ledges Trail in Middle Fork Snoqualmie Area to add to your hiking itinerary.

• Extended hike to Tinkham peak – For those up for a moderate to difficult hike, you can hike to Tinkham Peak from Mirror Lake. This stretch is not easy, definitely not kid-friendly, but the views of the lakes from top are said to be spectacular.

• Best time to visit – Late summer, summer and fall.

Stay

There are many campgrounds and Airbnbs around this area. Stay options around Snoqualmie Pass or even North Bend would be convenient options.

Final Thoughts

Mirror and Cottonwood Lakes trail is an easy lake hike near Seattle. It is a great hike to build your kids’ hiking skills and confidence. And driving on I-90 is a good scenic corridoor.

If you like this hike, then consider doing Heybrook Lookout hike or Deception Falls trail as a day trip from Seattle. As the I-90 drive takes you to Snoqualmie Pass, the drive to Heybrook Lookout and Deception Falls is on the way to Stevens Pass and will give you another awesome spot for a day trip from Seattle.