John Guilford's Hikes

Whistle Lake on 2026-10-27

Date: 2026-10-27

Location: Whistle Lake

People: (including myself): Happy Hikers

			Alt.	Miles
Trailhead:	10:00	370	0
Whistle Lake:	10:15	440	0.7
Lunch:		12:00	450	3.4
Trailhead:	1:00	370	4.4

The trailhead parking doesn't hold too many cars, and we mostly filled it with our group. We had about 35 hikers in our group, though after we started, we dispersed into smaller groups along the trail.

Initially the trail is a dirt road about 3/4 miles long to Whistle Lake where there is a toilet (no toilet at the trailhead).

Like last year, we went around the lake clockwise. After following the eastern side of the lake, we climbed a bit over a hill before descending to Toot swamp, a small pond south of the trail.

We then met a larger trail, number 22, where we turned right (north). A quarter mile further we took another right (east) on trail 21. A tenth of a mile further we turned down trail 204 back towards the lake. There is a side trail leading to a pretty overlook. The main trail then continues along the NW side of the lake. We passed a nice viewing spot next to an island in the lake. We continued towards the north point of the lake until we met some of our group who had finished circumnavigating the lake and then turned around. We retraced our way to that spot next to the island and stopped there for lunch.

After lunch we continued the hike north along the west side of the lake, back to the road and the trailhead.

Despite a forecast of chance of rain, things remained pretty dry for the whole hike. We got a brief light shower in the middle, but it didn't amount to anything. My rainpants and gaiters were not needed.