Lily & Lizard Lakes  | Whatcom County |  | Bellingham |  |
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Guides |
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Address Barrel Springs Rd. Bellingham, WA 98225 |
Hours Every day Dawn - Dusk |
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Get off the I-5 South at exit 240 (Alger), turn right and then take a left on Barrel Springs road. Take a right on a well-graveled road signposted "Blanchard Mountain Trail. Park at the lower parking lot or continue another 2 miles to the upper parking lot.
Description:
Every foot of the five mile hike up Blanchard Mountain to Lily and Lizard Lakes is well worth the effort. After parking in the lower parking lot, I began hiking from the trailhead 500 feet further down the road. The trail begins with a gentle incline and several switchbacks allowing the hiker to warm up. There is not much tree cover here, but soon I had a great view of Mt. Baker and the surrounding valley. About a mile later I arrived at the second parking lot. From there, I turned left on the gravel road and a minute later was back on the trail. This entrance is also the overnight camping registration station. The trail is well-maintained by Whatcom County's Backcountry Horsemen's Association and is thus open not only to mountain bikers and hikers, but also to horses.
Before hitting the depths of the forest, the trail borders the treeline, offering fabulous views of Skagit Valley, the San Juan Islands, and on a clear day, Mt. Rainer and the Olympic Mountains. Steeper inclines and switchbacks then take you another three miles to the top where there is a split in the trail: turn right and head a mile down the path toward Lizard Lake where there are camping and horse facilities (even rustic stabling facilities for camping with horses) or go left about 500 yards to Lily Lake. There is an additional split in the trail, giving you the choice to head straight to the Oyster Dome and the Bat Caves or turn right to Lily Lake.
Whether you like hiking or biking or horseback riding, the real reward is to sit by either lake for a while, far from the city, and to remember that silence is the natural sound of the world.
Note: there are campsites at both lakes with toilet facilities and fire pits. The elevation is approx. 1500 feet. Allow about 5 to 8 hours for the trip, bring a snack and plenty of water.
Written By: Hilary Higgins
Features
Biking Trails
Comments
This is indeed the correct location of the trail. I've been there many times. I would reccomend starting at the upper parking lot (for hikers at least). To get to the upper parking lot follow the instructions given. Then continue up the dirt road. When the road branches left right take the left and follow it to the top. From here you get a great view and in the summer you can see hang-gliders taking off. There is also a good map of this area. It's a happy trails map and can be found at many local bike shops. Last I checked there are not any good maps at REI for the bellingham area.
- jeff gordon on Mon, March 19, 2001
i think that you have got the wrong map for tis trail. i've ridden it and i couldn't find my way to it with this map.
- john baker on Fri, January 7, 2000
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