Surprise and Glacier Lakes via Surprise Creek Trail

The hike to Surprise Lake and Glacier Lake on Surprise Creek Trail is a beautiful trek, and it’ll leave you feeling satisfied with a full day’s effort. You can also use this trail to ascend either Thunder or Surprise mountains.

Begin from the end of the road near Scenic Creek, crossing the creek and keeping left at an intersection with a spur trail. You’ll follow alongside Surprise Creek on a trail that is mostly level, to begin with.

You’ll cross the creek just before it forks, then cross back over another arm to hike with the water now on your right. The trail soon begins to ascend, with switchbacking turns leading you up to Surprise Lake. There can sometimes be downed trees here from avalanche damage, so take your time crossing them if they’re present.

There is a fork on the lakeshore with a short trail that leads you more directly along the shore, but this trail doesn’t reconnect to the main trail, so you’ll have to backtrack if you take it.

Continue onto the PCT, keeping right at the next intersection and then left to the lakeshore of Glacier Lake. This is where the trail ends, so you can either retrace your steps or continue exploring.