Chain Lakes Loop, Bellingham

The most beautiful hike I have done so far. I did this trail on a hot Saturday (Aug 28, 2021) in 22 C or 74 F, but the heat wasn’t so painful as I had expected it to be, and I didn’t sweat too much. This is a gorgeous 12-km or 7.5-mile moderate hike (total; Heather Meadows Visitor Center-Lakes-Artist Point-Visitor Center - without the Table Mountain one); I did the entire Table Mountain Trail (moderate hike - at Artist Point) as well, and it added 6 km (3.75 miles) to my overall hike, bringing my total hike to 18 km (11.25 miles). Do wear good hike shoes (and, preferably, carry poles as well) for this trail, which is very rocky and which can hurt your feet. I did this trail counter-clockwise and would recommend the same to you; in that way, you won’t miss the spectacular climb and scenery on the visitor-center side. The chain lakes looked absolutely stunning amidst Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker, both of which were very clearly visible. The gorgeous scenery, along with the mountains, snow-capped peaks, crystal-clear blue lakes, and enjoyable trails (not too busy, though quite a few people were present), makes hiking in this area a total pleasure. But definitely do the entire Chain Lakes Trail, otherwise, it’s not worth traveling that far (from the Greater Seattle Area) for a smaller trail. Do the Table Mountain Trail (I would recommend not doing the entire trail, which is not trafficked much and on which the scenery doesn’t change much; just go up the mountain until you reach a level surface at the top and then get back down - this is roughly a km or 0.6 miles one-way and should take 20-25 minutes one-way) as part of this larger, lakes trail. Be very careful on the climb up the Table Mountain; I wouldn’t advise taking kids up there (narrow switchbacks, steep incline and fall, loose rocks, etc.). From the top, you have mind-blowing views of Mt. Shuksan, Mt. Baker, Bagley Lake, and the neighboring areas. You get most of these views from Artist Point as well; however, the views from here are much better and uninterrupted. And, the hike isn’t so painful as it looks; it’s totally doable. I did see quite a few pockets of snow up there. Make sure you carry enough water and food with you; it’s easy to get dehydrated here (on any trail), given there’s almost no shade on the trails. I kept a decent pace for both trails and stopped for pictures and breaks. On my way back, I took the vehicular road down from Artist Point to the visitor center. I started my hike from the center at 11:40 AM and got back to the center at 8:10 PM, after 8.5 hours. The Table Mountain Trail took me 3 hours to complete, and the Chain Lakes Trail alone, without the Table Mountain Trail, took me 5.5 hours to complete. So, plan accordingly, and reach the visitor center as early as possible. It doesn’t matter where you start from, given it’s a loop you’ll be doing, unless you are only doing the Table Mountain Trail - in this case, go straight up to the Artist Point, to which the road is now open. I saw many people with kids and dogs (on the Chain Lakes Trail), and it was wonderful to hike in this serene setting (perfect for camping)! Everyone seemed to be thoroughly enjoying this trail. Nobody asked me how much of the trail was still left. I didn’t see the typical hike exhaustion on people’s faces, despite the fact that it was a hot day; and I thought that was something very unique about this hike. Overall, it was a phenomenal hike; and I highly recommend doing the entire Chain Lakes loop, along with the smaller trails attached to it. I am sure you’ll like this one. 👍

One of my favorite trails in the area. If the weather is good, you have excellent views of Shuksan and Baker. The main views of this trail is all about the lakes. In high snow seasons bring spikes and or poles for the numerous snow crossings.