Hiking the Cascade Lake Loop Trail on Orcas Island

Looking for more great things to do in and around Moran State Park?
Check out my guide to the Best of Orcas Island!

CURRENT INFO

Find more information about Moran State Park on the Washington State Parks website. Trail reviews for the Cascade Lake Loop Trail are available on the WTA (Washington Trails Association) website, and it’s also included in the book Day Hiking the San Juans & Gulf Islands by Craig Romano.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Getting to Orcas Island involves a one-hour ferry ride from Anacortes, Washington. Check ferry schedules and reserve your trip in advance on the Washington State Ferries website. Cascade Lake is a half-hour’s drive from the Orcas Island ferry terminal.
• Bring your Discover Pass. Since Moran is a Washington State Park, a Discover Pass is required for parking. Campers at Moran State Park will receive a pass valid for the duration of their stay at check-in. Non-campers can purchase a Discover Pass at Moran State Park or online.
• Campers at the Northend, Midway, and Southend Campgrounds can connect to the Cascade Lake Loop Trail directly from each campground.
• Parking is available at the day use areas near the Northend and Southend Campgrounds, as well as the Lagoon (see map above).
• Restrooms and garbage bins are available at several points along the trail, including campgrounds and day use areas. Picnic tables are located at the day use areas near both the Northend and Southend Campgrounds.
• Drinking water is available at all campgrounds and day use areas.
• The Cascade Lake Day Use Area is a great place to end the hike or take a break, especially if you have kids. The area includes a playground, swimming beach, and seasonal kayak rentals from Orcas Adventures. It’s also where you’ll find…
• The Sugar Shack! Located at the Cascade Lake Day Use Area, the Sugar Shack serves up delicious cones of Lopez Ice Cream, plus other simple fare, like hot dogs. The Shack is open from roughly May through September, and hours can be limited.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Cascade Lake Loop Trail is an easy hike offering plentiful views across the sparkling blue water of Cascade Lake (on sunny days, at least). It’s a fun ramble, made even more fun by the prospect of a post-hike ice cream cone. On a cloudy day or in the off season, it’s a great way to appreciate the quiet beauty of Orcas Island.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

The hike around Cascade Lake is good for all ages. My kids especially enjoyed the bridge and beaches. Oh, and the ice cream cones from Sugar Shack by the swimming beach — we can’t forget the ice cream!

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

There is a wealth of things to do in and around Moran State Park and Orcas Island. Cascade Lake is also great for a paddle or swim, and nearby Mountain Lake offers a more secluded experience. Other hikes include the climb to the top of Mount Constitution, lovely Cascade Falls, or a short hike to the beach at Obstruction Pass.

With so much to see and do, I recommend spending the night. We’ve stayed at Midway Campground a few times, which provides direct access to the Cascade Lake Loop Trail. Two other campgrounds, Northend and Southend, are also located along Cascade Lake.

Bursting with small town charm, Eastsound is only a 15-minute drive from Cascade Lake and full of fun shops and eateries. Some of our favorites include Brown Bear Baking, Clever Cow Creamery, and Darvill’s Bookstore (which also features a terrific coffee bar).

One of the great things about camping at Moran State Park on Orcas Island is the easy trail access. Want to hike? You don’t even have to get in the car, just step out of your tent and start walking! On an earlier trip to Orcas Island, we hiked from Midway Campground to Cascade Falls. This time, we chose the Cascade Lake Loop Trail. And just like that, we were on our way.

For us, the hike started with a walk up the campground road past the highest loop in Midway Campground. You can just as easily start from one of the other campgrounds along Cascade Lake, or from the day use area (the most convenient option if you aren’t overnighting at one of the campgrounds).

Just beyond the upper campsites at Midway Campground, a wooden sign labeled “trail” pointed to the left. This was somewhat confusing, as we intended to go right. Although the trail branched off to the right as well, I assumed this was merely a path back to the campground. Fortunately, we soon realized it was in fact the correct trail. Turning right, we began our clockwise loop around the lake.

This is the highest and steepest section of the Cascade Lake Loop Trail, and it wasn’t what six-year-old T had expected.

“You said this was an easy hike!” he protested. I assured him that this was the toughest part, and even offered an early snack break to fuel up for the trip. Whadda ya know? It worked!

Soon the trail eased, meandering gently downhill. We crossed the road, following the little wooden signs that mark the way. Yes, there are a couple of road crossings on this route, but you will be well away from the sounds and sights of traffic for most of the hike.

After crossing the road, the trail continues downhill toward the Southend Day Use Area and Campground. Other park buildings and equipment occupy the area near the south end of the lake, with trails branching off in various directions. Follow the signs for the Cascade Lake Trail and the Southend Campground, and you’ll stay on the right track.

The day use area here is idyllic, perfect for a picnic or paddle if you have the time (I recommend driving here if you have a boat). A large fire pit conjured up visions of an evening bonfire under starry skies. P.S.: It’s also a good place to stop and take advantage of the restrooms.

After appreciating the view from the day use area, we were treated to more tantalizing peeks over the water as we made our way to the Southend Campground. Up close, the water was perhaps a tad too green (hello, algae bloom!), but the overall effect was lovely.

The trail joined the road again as we approached the Southend Campground. The campsites here are the creme de la creme of Moran State Park — luxuriously spacious sites positioned right on the lakeshore, perfectly quiet and peaceful. We were shocked to see several open sites, but figured the evening ferries would bring more campers. In my experience, these sites are nearly always booked as soon as reservations become available.

Past Southend Campground, the Cascade Lake Loop continues through the woods, following a bumpy dirt trail. Although this is an easy hike, good footgear is still essential. This stretch of the trail is cool and shady. Before long, we arrived at the wooden footbridge that crosses the mouth of the Lagoon, and stepped out into the sunshine.

The wooden bridge is one of the iconic features of Moran State Park, and a perfect place to pause and reflect. At this point, you have two options for continuing the hike: cross the bridge and stay on the main loop around the lake, or take a short detour around the Lagoon. We did a combination, with some of our party heading left before the bridge for a clockwise loop around the Lagoon, while the rest of us crossed to the other side before turning to loop around the Lagoon in the opposite direction.

We met in the middle, by a small parking lot at the far end of the Lagoon. It might not be the most picturesque spot, but the boys needed a snack break. We discovered a greenhouse nearby, and a large collection of canoes on the banks above the Lagoon. What was this place? And why so many canoes? They seemed abandoned and lonely here, hidden away under the trees. Perhaps they were preparing for winter’s hibernation, and summer will find them once more plying the waters of Cascade Lake.

After a short break, we left the parking lot, turning right onto a path that promised to be the most direct route back to the main trail. We stopped to enjoy the view at an inspiring overlook (featured in the photo at the top of this post), then continued on, following the signs pointing toward the campground.

Excitement was high as we neared the Cascade Lake Day Use Area. We promised the kids ice cream at Sugar Shack following the hike, and everyone was salivating by this point. It was now past lunch time, so why not fill up on Lopez Ice Cream? We were on vacation!

After a leisurely break near the swimming beach, we crossed the main road once more and began the ascent to Midway Campground. Just before we reached out campsite, the trees opened up to one final, glorious view, marking a beautiful end to our lovely lakeside hike.