Baker Lake Backpack For Beginners

Baker Lake Trail We’re Comin’

And we’re inviting 6 people to join us for a 3-day, 2-night beginner-friendly backpack excursion along the eastern shores of Baker Lake in the North Cascades. We’re intentionally centering BIPOC community and welcoming all gender representations in outdoor experiential education. The weekend is supportive, scenic, and so much fun.

Dates: September 25 to 27, 2026.

Contribution: $75 for one person or $100 for two people registering together.

The Vibe

Since our main goal is assisting you in becoming a safe, responsible, self-sufficient backpacker, think of your excursion leaders, Denice Rochelle and Stacy Sarver, as your guidance, not your guides. We’re showing up to help you learn, not to do it for you. This is an intentional space created for you to expand your outdoor narrative in a peer-led environment.

Connecting with the forest, mountain, and water, we’ll have space to be ourselves, unlearn, re-learn, and dial in hiking and camping skills, while bravely comfortably, and joyfully leaning into play that opens paths to ecological awareness and the living world.

Our biggest hope is that by the end of this trip, you’ll feel confident returning to these same trails with your own family and friends.

The Baker Lake Trail Experience

Washington State has three National Parks of which North Cascades is one. North Cascades is unique in that we have free general entrance year-round – no gates, no entrance fee.

Baker Lake offers miles of low-elevation trails for year-round enjoyment. Vision meandering through a lush, moss-draped old-growth forest that crosses creeks and offers big views of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan reflecting off the lake.

Before, during, and after we’ll cover essentials like preparation, group and self-care on the trail, trail etiquette, setting up camp, Leave No Trace principles, trail hazards, and some naturalist awareness of the local ecology.

Take me!

Weekend Summary

Be prepared to comfortably carry your loaded pack up to 5 miles to and from the campground. The trail has gentle, rolling elevation gain no more than 900 feet. Because the campsites along Baker Lake are first-come, first-served, we’ll need to hike until we find accommodating space.

• Day 1 (Friday): Meet at a favorite spot in Concrete for final equipment check and sweet treat before caravanning to the trailhead to begin the backpack trip.
• Day 2 (Saturday): Enjoy the campground in your own way (swim, practice skills, rest, etc.).
• Day 3 (Sunday): Hike back to the trailhead after breakfast and close the trip.

What You Need to Know

• Prep Sessions: We definitely recommend that you attend our 2-hour Camping Equipment Demystified event on May 9 to help you prepare for this excursion. We’ll be arranging in-person skills and prep sessions to make sure everyone is totally ready for the trail. (Dates and locations will be coordinated with our group). Online prep sessions are available on a case-by-case basis.
• The Basics: Be age 18+, have reliable transportation, and have experience car camping and day hiking. Be able to comfortably hike at least 5 miles each way carrying a loaded backpack (average 25-35 pounds) on an undulating trail at a leisurely, conversational pace.
• Equipment Needs: Learning what equipment to have for the environment we want to go to is part of becoming a self-reliant backpacker. We’ll go over needs and the various ways to get equipment to satisfy those needs, including leaning into the abundance of your friends, cousins, or neighbors to borrow items, or investing in core items if you’re able. We may be able to help fill in your gaps from our small equipment library. Equipment is an investment in your safety, comfort, and confidence and we want to set you up for long-term success.
• Permits: Trailhead parking requires a Northwest Forest Pass or an America The Beautiful Pass. We’ll go over this as part of prep.
• Carpooling: We’ll provide a link later on so folks can self-organize rideshares.

Sign me up!

Sign me up!