Situated in some of the most pristine wilderness of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is Esmeralda Basin. Esmeralda Basin is known for striking displays of wildflowers in the Spring and bright yellow larches in the fall, contrasted against the rugged Esmeralda Peaks. It is a loop trail that can be completed as a day hike or overnight. 

I completed this trail last spring when the flowers were still in bloom, the mountain streams were still gushing, and the trail was quiet.

This blog post includes everything you need to hike this trail safely and responsibly. I even included a section on what to do in the area, along with gear recommendations. If that sounds good to you, let’s get into it!

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Esmeralda Basin: A Hidden Gem in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

As one of the more overlooked trails in this area, you can be certain that your time on Esmeralda Basin will be lacking in crowds. However, you will have to fight for a parking spot since the trailhead shares a parking lot with Lake Ingalls. Especially during Larch Season.

With gorgeous mountain vistas, spectacular wildflower displays, and shimmering water features, this trail has everything you’re looking for in a Pacific Northwest hike. I last completed it as a day hike with my partner and dog, but there are some incredible backcountry campsites on this trail.  

This trail does share a portion of the hike with an ORV track, which I have happened to run into cars on each time I have completed the trail, but at the end of the day, that didn’t change my mind about how beautiful this hike was.

Know Before You Go

Before you head out on the hike, review the information below about trailhead info, seasonal considerations, and permits.

Esmeralda Basin Location

Esmeralda Trailhead is located on the ancestral lands of the Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Wenatchi, Yakima, and Confederated Tribes of Colville Tribes. We are grateful for the stewards of this land, past and present. We are honored to be and recognize that we are guests on this land.

Getting to Esmeralda Basin Trailhead

Esmeralda Basin is located 2.5 hours east of Seattle, WA. The trailhead is off the same service road of an extremely popular trail for viewing larches and Lake Ingalls. 

While most of the drive is easy driving along paved roads, the last ten miles of the drive on Forest Service Road 9737 is unpaved. The road has been in good condition, with no major potholes. The parking lot of the trailhead for Esmeralda Basin has plenty of parking and a privy for people to use the restroom before hitting the trail.

If there is no parking spot, you will have to park along the west side of the road.

The road to the trailhead is in relatively great shape. Any vehicle can make it to the trailhead without issue.

Trail Facilities

The trailhead does have a pit toilet, and there are a few campgrounds on the way in that also have pit toilets. There are no trash cans, so whatever you pack in, needs to be packed out.

I wouldn’t count on toilet paper being available, so either bring your own or bring a Kula Cloth.

Pass/Permit

The permit required for the Esmeralda Basin Trail is the Northwest Forest Pass. This pass has a $30 annual fee and provides access to all National Forests in Washington and Oregon.

Since a National Forest Pass is required for this trail, be sure to leave the pass in your windshield! 

You can purchase a National Forest Pass here.

Season to Visit

While you cannot go wrong hiking this trail any time it is free of snow, there are two main periods when this trail is at its peak beauty: wildflower season and fall colors. 

Wildflowers: If seeing wildflowers is your desired view for this trail, early July typically has the best display. 

Larches: If you want to see the golden larches of the PNW, you will want to complete this trail in early October. This is the most popular time of year for people to hike the trail.

The trails in this area are typically clear of snow in early summer, so you can likely begin hiking here in early June without problem. However, you should check current trail conditions before heading out.

What to Pack on Your Hike

Just like any other hike, you will want to bring the Ten Essentials, but I have also identified some specific items I found helpful on the trail.

1. Sunshirt: Large portions of this trail are fully exposed to the sun. Using a sunshirt is the easiest way to protect your skin on a hike.
2. Binoculars: This trail has some unique bird species. My partner hogged the binoculars the entire time.
3. Sitting Pad: There are so many incredible vistas on this hike to sit and enjoy. Consider bringing a lightweight foam pad to make your time more comfortable.
4. Sturdy Boots: This trail is extremely rocky at points. Wearing boots with ankle support is recommended. I wear Oboz Bridgers.
5. Day Pack: You’ll want a comfortable day pack for this trail to carry all of your things. I would recommend a rain cover for your pack, since the weather can be unpredictable out here.
6. Kula Cloth: The trailhead pit toilet will likely be out of toilet paper. I always bring a Kula Cloth when I go hiking.

Hiking Esmeralda Basin

Esmeralda Basin is a loop trail that passes by some of the most scenic vantage points in the area. 

Begin the loop trail by heading northeast on the Esmeralda Basin Trail. The trail runs parallel to the North Fork Teanaway River and Road. Walking along the river, glimpses of the Esmeralda Peaks tower above the valley. These peaks will be central to the entire hike as the loop leads hikers around the mountain.

Just 0.3 miles from the trailhead, hikers will reach a junction that meets up with the “100 Classic Hikes of Washington” Lake Ingalls. Take the trail to the left to remain on the Esmeralda Basin Trail.

During the larch season, the trailhead to Lake Ingalls can be backed up with cars even before dawn. If you’re open to extending your hike to Lake Ingalls, which is already 9.0 miles, parking at Esmeralda Basin provides better views than walking past a line of cars.

Past the Lake Ingalls Trailhead is a small valley of creek crossings, blooming flowers, and a soft wetland. Don’t take this area for granted, because it will be the last flat area of the trail for a significant amount of time. A series of switchbacks provides increasingly impressive views of the peaks with each change in direction.

These switchbacks will lead to Fortune Pass, which has arguably the best views on the entire trail. After hiking for nearly two hours, the trek up to Fortune Pass was the first time I saw another set of hikers on the trail. Fortunes Peak is completely exposed. Wearing sun protection is imperative on this trail to mitigate the sun’s direct impact. While hiking this trail, I wore my favorite REI sun shirt. 

I reached Fortune Pass at around 1 PM, which was a perfect time to find some shade and eat lunch. It was a spectacular 360-degree view of the surrounding area. I also used this time to have a small photoshoot of my Fremont Summer Pale Ale because at the time they were having a summit beer photo contest…I didn’t win.

The trail after Fortune Creek Pass opens into an expansive valley. Be sure to stay to the left because the Country Line Trail heads off to Lake Ann Trail. While Lake Ann is a BREATHTAKING trail, that is not on today’s trail agenda! 

The hike down the far side of Fortune Pass is rough. In high heat and on a steep, rocky trail, this section feels like the most brutal section of the entire trail. But before long, the trail descends back into the forest, and shade is welcomed with open arms. 

Unfortunately, the section of trail that connects Fortune Pass to Gallagher Head Lake is a 4×4 forest road. While this is great for off-road vehicle recreators, as a hiker, a little moody from the sun, that continuous flow of traffic was bothersome. There were dirt bikes cutting corners a little too close for comfort, and lines of off-road groups slowly working their way through this section of the trail.

Be aware of your surroundings when on the jeep road and keep to the side of the trail.

Gallagher Head Lake offers the first sites available for overnight camping along this trail. This also marks the halfway point for the trail. This was another great resting point. This is also an area where I heard people shooting targets in the distance. In National Forests, this is allowed unless there is a current restriction. As a hiker, it is imperative to be aware of the area’s regulations and stick to the maintained trail. 

Hiking past Gallagher Head Lake down to De Roux Creek is where the wildflowers of Washington truly shine. The pockets of grass in between the forest were filled with wildflowers. This is what I would consider to be the start of the final push to complete the trail.

At ten miles into the trail, a series of steep, heavily wooded switchbacks leads hikers back into the valley. These switchbacks seemed to add up in miles headed back down into the valley. Before long, I was back next to De Roux Creek, taking a quick break with a little under two miles left to go. 

There was a bridge crossing here pointing towards the last home stretch. After 12.0 miles of continuous hiking, the view of the car was a glorious sight.

Should Esmeralda Basin be a Classic Hike of Washington?

Should Esmeralda Basin be a 100 Classic Hike of Washington? This is an especially important question because Esmeralda Basin is flagged as a legacy hike.

A legacy hike is one included in the first edition of “100 Classic Hikes of Washington” by Harvey Manning and Ira Spring. Only 50 of the original classic hikes remain in the 3rd Edition that I am using for this series. 

When reflecting on the entire hike, I would not consider it one of the 100 Classic Hikes of Washington. Here is why… 

After Fortune Pass, the views are lacking. If the pinnacle of the hike, Fortune Pass, was the end, I think there could be an argument for Esmeralda Basin maintaining its Classic Hike AND Legacy Hike status.

However, the 4×4 shared road, which was ultimately 2.0 miles of the trail, removed a lot of the luster from the trail. While sharing the road with vehicles is ultimately not a deal breaker for me on an average hike, this is a Classic Hike! This is a legacy hike! 

I also found Gallagher Lake to be lacking. With the Alpine Lakes Wilderness so close to the area that contains one of the most coveted backpacking trips in the state, The Enchantments, it did little for me other than provide a place to rest and catch a second wind.

Let me know in the comments if you disagree with me!

Want to complete your own “100 Classic Hike of Washington” Journey? You can purchase the trail guide here.

Other Trails in the Area…

This area has so many incredible trails to enjoy and plenty of campgrounds that you could easily spend a week camping and hiking in the area.

Lake Ingalls

Lake Ingalls is a spectacular lake that is connected to the Esmeralda Basin Trail. It is an 8.5-mile out-and-back with 3,000 ft of gain. The Ingalls Way trail branches off from Long’s Pass, so keep to the left to get to Ingalls Lake.

Eightmile Lake

Tucked in a valley, this stunning lake is a great 7.4-mile out-and-back with 1,500 ft of gain. I love the Eight Mile Lake Trail so much because it is not as busy as some of the other popular trails nearby. This is one of my favorite hiking adventures as you weave through the canyon. 

Navaho Peak

Navaho Peak is a challenging but exceedingly rewarding out-and-back hike in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Sometimes completed as a backpacking route, this 13.0-mile, 4,150 ft gain trail will take your breath away after some big switchback ascents!

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Pack it Up

There are some incredible trails near Cle Elum, WA, including the Esmerelda Basin Trail! The rugged peaks of this trail are a standout in Washington State with expansive panoramic views of the region.

My suggestion? Go car camping the night before along Teanaway Rd., so you can get an early start on the trail. 

Always check the weather conditions before heading out and get up-to-date trail reports on the Washington Trails Association website. 

After your hike, be sure to stop at the Cle Elum Dru Bru for a refreshing beer and delicious pizza.

Happy Hiking!