Mildred Lakes - 8.6 Miles Round-Trip

The Mildred Lakes are located 4.3 miles from Hamma Hamma Road in the Mt Skokomish Wilderness. The three lakes are nestled below Sawtooth Ridge in a heavily wooded basin at the head of the Hamma Hamma River. The Mildred Lakes Trail (#822) was established by hikers and anglers over the years, and is not officially maintained.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

Though distance and net elevation gains are modest, the lakes are considered among the more challenging destinations on the Olympic Peninsula.

This strenuous way-trail scales two steep ridges on a rugged, shifting course. Clarity is intermittent, with many counter-intuitive jukes and long sections of hand-over-hand scrambling up root and rock walls. 

Pink ribbons mark much of the way, but can be hard to spot and don't always provide directional surety. Travel is equally arduous on the return.

Only experienced hikers with good route finding skills should attempt this hike. Note that distances listed here will likely differ from each individual route, but can be seen as close approximates:

The trail begins on the left side of the trailhead board at the end of Hamma Hamma Road. It rises away on a rough but serviceable path to a clearing at .9 miles (4,965'). Stay left at a subtle fork (1.4 miles) up to a ridge with partial views (1.5 miles : 3,220').

A defined path undulates along the ridge before diving down to Huckleberry Creek. It levels along the creek past several campsites to a natural log bridge (2.1 miles : 2,985'). Ford the creek if slippery. Once over, follow pink ribbons to the right, and ignore plausible paths that veer left.

The trail levels across a small stream (2.15 miles) and drops down a natural root ladder into a narrow ravine (2.3 miles : 3,150') | GPS Point #8). Here you'll begin the 'root wall', a .35 mile, 750' climb up the west valley wall.

While the pitch may be daunting, it's not technical at all - if anything, the roots are quite helpful. Watch for loose rock and keep a safe distance between hikers.

Travel eases briefly across a small flat (2.55 miles : 3,905'), then steepens back on a good trail to the ridge (2.65 miles : 4,035'). Enjoy a well-earned reprieve and good views from outcrops on this thinly treed section (GPS Point #13). 

The trail drops sharply off the ridge to a pond in the adjacent valley (3.0 miles : 3,870'). It arcs clockwise around the pond for another shifty descent that levels by a pond (3.25 miles : 3,740' | GPS Point #15). The trail loses clarity here, and it may simply be easier to walk through the water to reach pink ribbons on the far side.

Travel grows rough past this pond to Lower Mildred Lake (3.35 miles : 3,754'). Access is limited by thick timber, but a few small clearings have views.

Hug the shore and head clockwise around the lake to the inlet stream. There doesn't seem to be a 'best way' through the clutter, so you may just have to push and improvise.

Cross the inlet stream (4.0 miles) and follow ribbons up the right side to Upper Mildred Lake (4.3 miles : 3,812'). Fishing is exceptional here, with consistent reports of 12" - 14"+ rainbows.