Upper Silas and Island Lakes

Dogs Leashed

Features Commonly Backpacked · Fishing · Lake · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Tomahawk, Island, and Thumb Lakes are a string of high alpine lakes located in the Silas Basin. While Upper and Lower Silas Lakes are without doubt the gem of the Fiddler's Lake Trailhead, the region's lesser-known lakes are worthy contenders. In fact, given the lesser traffic to these three lakes, I prefer going to them over their more renowned sister lakes any day.

As per USFS rules:
1) Make sure to camp 200 ft from trails and water.
2) Dogs have to be leashed or under control (i.e. training collar or equivalent) at all times.
3) All food and attractants need to be suspended at least 10 feet high and 4 feet from a post or tree or stored inside a bear-resistant container.
4) Check current fire restrictions. Fire rings must be dismantled after use.

The hike to these lakes begins along the Silas Lakes Trail, and in fact, shares the trail for 4 miles to Upper Silas Lake. The trail is well maintained and easy to follow. The only two directional points to bear in mind up to this point are 1) a fork with the Lake Christina trail 1.6 miles in where you'll go right, following the sign toward Silas) and 2) the split to lower Silas 4.5 miles in. Again, follow the sign right toward Upper Silas.

Just before you reach and beautiful shores of Upper Silas Lake, be on the lookout for a moderately worn trail into the woods departing from your left. This is the unsigned trail to Tomahawk Lake. Though just a mere skip from the main trail, Tomahawk is surprisingly quiet and untrafficked. For that reason alone, it's a worthy detour, especially for the avid fisherman. Brookies and Cutthroat galore will readily bite on just about anything, even in later, post-spawn season. The side trail to Tomahawk is almost exactly 4 miles from your starting point. It's not mapped with the route here, but the side trail isn't too hard to find if you look carefully.

To get further from the crowds, continue to the far end of Upper Silas Lake, following any one of the many criss-crossing trails along its south shore. By the end of the lake, start paying attention, because you'll need to find the trail that leads into the back valley. Easier said than done when there are many trails, most of which lead to nowhere. My first hike here, I definitely got a little turned around, but I learned if you find yourself crossing to the north side of Silas Creek, you're off track. The real trail (which is easy enough to follow once you're on it) stays on the south side of the creek, completely avoiding the boulder scramble one of the trails leads you to. From Upper Silas, it is 1.3 miles to Island Lake.

You can choose to go even farther than Island Lake (extension not mapped here) to find Thumb Lake, which is about 2 miles beyond Upper Silas. This involves a short jaunt around the west shore of Island and finding a way through the steep, rocky terrain into the higher basin---not easy, but well worth it for seekers of solitude.

The full out and back to Tomahawk, Island, and Thumb lakes can easily be made in a day hike, but I recommend backpacking it to really enjoy the solitude that Thumb and Island Lakes provide. Island Lake has better camping, with few established spots in some really beautiful places, and in general, better recreating. This is because Island Lake is shaped into various lobes with a semi-island in the middle. This leads to all sorts of unique features, deep water swimming holes, and more.

All of these lakes also have large trout, though in my experience, Thumb Lake fishing is best. So set up camp at Island and make the short trek up to Thumb for dinner! - Overview and description by Amber McDaniel, Outdoor Project