Goat Lake off Mount Loop Highway. ~2 hr drive from Seattle (3.5 mile dirt road after Monte Cristo, turn right on Elliot Creek Road #4080 to the end for ~ 1 mile). 10 miles/RT. 1400 ft gain. 2 hr up and 1:45 hr down.10 min into the well laid out trail, we took the upper trail (flat logging road on the left) going in, and the lower trail (up and down along the creek) on the way out. Two trails join again at ~ 1.5 miles before the lake. Mostly shaded. The last mile is steep. Shortly before the lake, a brief side trip to McIntosh falls is a must. Cooler air, large volume. Goat Lake is calm and clear. Blue-green, with the beautiful reflection of Cadet Peak. Heather took a plunge. I only let the water reach my knee. Darren stayed at the shore, throwing rocks at Heather. Water is rather warm near the edge, but much colder one foot below surface.
