Midway High Lakes Area
{{Short description|Protected area in Washington State, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Takhlakh Lake
| image =Mount_Adams_Early_Morning_Reflection_at_Takhlakh_Lake.jpg
| caption = Mount Adams seen from picturesque Takhlakh Lake
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = Skamania County, Washington, United States
| coords = {{coord|46.277445|-121.595993|type:waterbody_region:US-WA|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
{{cite gnis
| id = 1526906
| name = Takhlakh Lake
| accessdate = 2013-04-03 }}
| type = natural
| inflow = unnamed inflow creeks
| outflow = Canyon Creek (Tributary)
| catchment = {{convert|0.70295|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}
| basin_countries = United States
| length = {{convert|1788|ft|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|1129|ft|abbr=on}}
| area = {{convert|33|acre|abbr=on}}
| depth =
| max-depth =
| volume =
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation = {{convert|4390|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| islands = 0
| cities = (none)
| pushpin_map = Washington#USA
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Midway High Lakes Area in Washington, USA.
| pushpin_map_caption =
| website =
}}
Midway High Lakes Area, also known as High Lakes Area, is a United States Forest Service–designated area located in Washington’s Cascade Mountains. It lies on a high plateau on Mount Adams' northwestern flank. It is between the Goat Rocks on the north and Mount Hood to the south and contains Takhlakh Lake along with several other lakes. The area offers five scenic high elevation lakes all within a {{Convert|7|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} radius. It is administered by the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. While even the most visited areas at Mount Adams pale in comparison to nearby St. Helens or Rainier, it is by its own standards one of the most popular recreational areas around Mount Adams. Some of the lakes offers photogenic views of Mount Adams from across the lake.{{cite web|title=Gifford Pinchot National Forest: Midway High Lakes|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/giffordpinchot/about-forest|accessdate=21 April 2013}}{{cite web|title=Trail #116 High Lakes|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recreation/recarea/?recid=31296&actid=24|accessdate=21 April 2013}}
Geography
File:Majestic Mount Adams.jpg cascades down the northwest face of Mount Adams in a series of icefalls, viewed from Takhlakh Lake.]]
The Midway High Lakes Area lies below the volcanic peak of {{Convert|12276|ft|m|0}} Mount Adams, and Adams Glacier cascading from the summit in a series of icefalls. It is the second largest glacier in the State of Washington, after Carbon Glacier on Mount Rainier. The area is characterized by several volcanic features in addition to Mount Adams, such as the Takh Takh Lava Flow, the Muddy Fork Lava Flows, and Potato Hill, a small {{Convert|200|ft|m|adj=on}} tall cinder cone below the Muddy Fork Lava Flows. There are some meadows and marshes, with Takh Takh Meadows being the most well known. Muddy Meadows is another named meadow in the High Lakes Area, near Riley Horse Camp and Muddy Meadows Trail accessing the Pacific Crest Trail and the Mount Adams Wilderness.{{cite web|title=High Lakes Area Map|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/PA_WIDConsumption/wid/EnlargeImage.jsp?param5=null¶m1=PA_WIDConsumption¶m2=STELPRDB5172079¶m3=A%20map%20depicting%20trails%20in%20the%20High%20Lakes%20area%20within%20the%20Cowlitz%20Valley%20vicinity.¶m4=/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5172079.jpg&pname=Forest%20Service|accessdate=21 April 2013}}
{{clear left}}
=Major lakes=
The table below lists the five major lakes within the Midway High Lakes Area.{{cite web|title=Exploring Midway High Lakes Visitor Map|url=https://1d7cff37-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/northwestcampgrounds/find-a-campground/washington/gifford-pinchot-national-forest/maps-and-publications/High%20Lakes%20Area%20Small%20Map%20Test%20DevArt%203da6%28moved%20AREA%29%20copy2a.png?attachauth=ANoY7cpSqnxYh5JxtQcMX8TiM4e6qsNbrdSqrk4J-glhWEdgfb0QNcBhPXUd4dkS2hFE7r5IE5x3ETFplZOENJ1E21347TToywNzvEDTKJz0dFouID97IdSeSPAxI_X3bj1U_3shEKbO6Y4rnXZ1Ji-J760GJp-dlg5A-RTa4AfvON6MGOukSUlfBYK0r_RWRYfD4JNt7wlsin4gYzwc1LkTljXZGpPw8lnHLUDZ4406ezsAOYr1XKJPZhcSxbbdQ9HxW_Efcc7mBqBBmcgSKTIpwdrN13zfhLR-D6QfLtlBccI_tXq7-5UvvrOm83DLFQ9VN9Epptx0isVp24_pPkTHK2qpolROInjIlaZehKOp6WMtLjJOXJPKtmgcjRDaggPC9Y41DdMF1OZZkN0M6puoOyhmJCbBBsbW56BxKDSC8Natwd--Fvg%3D&attredirects=0|accessdate=21 April 2013}}
Recreation
File:Trail along the Takh Takh Lava Flow.jpg
The High Lakes Area includes several lakes offering hiking, backpacking, fishing, non-motorized boating and canoeing, scenic driving, and developed and primitive camping experiences. The area offers several campgrounds including the popular Takhlakh Lake Campground. Other campgrounds are Olallie Lake Campground, Horseshoe Lake Campground, Killen Creek Campground, Council Lake Campground, Chain of Lakes Campground, Cat Creek Campground, Twin Falls Campground, and Adams Fork Campground. The popular and developed Walupt Lake Campground is also nearby, northeast of the Midway High Lakes Area at the southwestern base of the Goat Rocks. The area is the highlight of the {{Convert|79|mi|km|adj=on}} High Lakes Loop, a scenic driving loop in the White Pass National Scenic Byway beginning at Randle.{{cite web|title=White Pass Scenic Byway: Itinerary: High Lakes Loop|url=http://www.whitepassbyway.com/roadtrips/highlakesloop.html|accessdate=21 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630141509/http://www.whitepassbyway.com/roadtrips/highlakesloop.html|archive-date=30 June 2013|url-status=dead}}
There are several waterfalls nearby, including Twin Falls,{{cite web|title=Northwest Waterfall Survey TWIN FALLS SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON|url=http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?&num=5296|accessdate=28 April 2013}} Steamboat Falls,{{cite web|title=Northwest Waterfall Survey STEAMBOAT FALLS SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON|url=http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?&num=5300|accessdate=28 April 2013}} Babyshoe Falls,{{cite web|title=Northwest Waterfall Survey BABYSHOE FALLS SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON|url=http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?&num=3041|accessdate=28 April 2013}} Big Spring Creek Falls,{{cite web|title=Northwest Waterfall Survey BIG SPRING CREEK FALLS SKAMANIA COUNTY, WASHINGTON|url=http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/falls.php?&num=5298}} and Riley Creek Falls.
In media
File:Mount Adams Midway High Lakes Area Visitor Map.gif Midway High Lakes Area]]
- In 1989, National Geographic featured a photograph showing vacationers playing at Takhlakh Lake. The photo was taken by James P. Blair for, but not published in, "Old Growth Forests: Will We Save Our Own?," September 1990, National Geographic magazine){{cite web|title=Takhlakh Lake, Washington, 1989|url=http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/enlarge/takhlakh-lake_pod_image.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807034650/http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/enlarge/takhlakh-lake_pod_image.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 7, 2009|publisher=National Geographic|accessdate=23 April 2013}}
- In 2013, National Geographic featured Takhklakh Lake in a photograph titled: "Mount Adams reflected in Takhlakh Lake". It was one of the twenty places in the world chosen for National Geographic{{'s}} Must-Do Trips, called "Ultimate Adventure Bucket List 2013". The post was entitled as "Must-Do Trip: Hike Around Mount Adams, Washington". The photo was taken by Randall J. Hodges, from Getty Images. In it, she recommends the {{Convert|35|mi|km|adj=on}} circumnavigation of Mount Adams on a route hiking on several trails: the Highline, the Round the Mountain, and others (such as a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail); and includes some off-trail hiking at the east side of the mountain.{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Jennifer|title="Ultimate Adventure Bucket List 2013" - "Must-Do Trip: Hike Around Mount Adams, Washington"|url=http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/trips/bucket-list/2013/hike-mount-adams-washington/|publisher=National Geographic|accessdate=24 April 2013|quote=To experience active geology while hiking in the continental U.S., head to Washington State’s second highest peak, Mount Adams, located in the Cascade Volcanic Arc.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201120348/http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/trips/bucket-list/2013/hike-mount-adams-washington|archive-date=1 December 2012|url-status=dead}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{commons-inline}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Category:Lakes of Washington (state)
Category:Lakes of Lewis County, Washington
Category:Mount Adams (Washington)
Category:Protected areas of Lewis County, Washington