Anderson and Watson Lakes Trail
Anderson and Watson Lakes is a bit of a drive for our Pathfinder Community, but it’s worth it! Simon (6) and Minnette (8) went along on this adventure while John was at Y camp.
Google Maps will get you to the trailhead accurately. The last several miles are a hairy forest road. My very low-clearance Mazda-5 managed fine as long as I took it slow on the potholes and swerved where I could. The last half mile is a bit steep and the “Traction Loss” light when off a few times on that last push. (At this point, my children’s faith in my driving ability was faltering. I just laughed maniacally and pushed onward. In the end, we got there fine.)
Once on the trail, “oo”s and “ah”s kept escaping the mouths of those who had so recently doubted their father. The hike is very manageable for any age-group. There are some steep areas where your kids will be fine but maybe parents will feel a little pain. Just take your time, bring water and snacks.
Lower Watson has some AMAZING campsites. I will be going back to try those out soon.
The Washington Trails Association article with details is here:
https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/anderson-and-watson-lakes
