Carpenter Lake
From Portland Hikers Field Guide
- Hikes including this location:
- Aldrich Butte Hike (TH | <-- --> | LOG)
- Aldrich Butte-Cedar Falls Loop Hike (TH | <-- --> | LOG)
- Lower Greenleaf Falls Hike (TH | <-- --> | LOG)
- Table Mountain from Aldrich Butte Trailhead Hike (TH | <-- --> | LOG)
- Latitude: 45.65983
- Longitude: -121.97579
- Maps: Portland Hikers Maps Google Earth
- Elevation: 594 feet
Contents |
Description
Carpenter Lake is more of a marsh since beavers left the area. Dam building by beavers had stopped up Carpenter Creek just enough to make for a pretty, seasonal lake. Now the lake is grown over with grasses. There is evidence of recent beaver activity, so perhaps the lake will return.
There is a series of trails junctions at the lake. The main trail through this junction is the Aldrich Butte Trail, running along Aldrich Butte Road (which, up to this point is called Shelly Lane on local maps). Here, the road swings to the left (west) before turning back south toward Aldrich Butte. The first trail coming in is the Dick Thomas Trail from the right (east). If you walk east on this trail a few paces, there is a nice access to walk out on the marshy lake where you get a fantastic view of Sacaquawea and Papoose Rocks. Just beyond this access is Carpenter Creek. If you were to continue down this trail, you'd end up at Bonneville Hot Springs.
There are also two trails heading straight north. The first is right next the lake, running parallel to it for the first 1/4 mile or so. About a mile from the junction, it intersects with the Pacific Crest Trail and eventually climbs high to the base of Sacaquawea and Papoose Rocks, then the base of cliffs in front of Table Mountain toward Lower Greenleaf Falls. This is unmarked here, but a sign at the Pacific Crest Trail labels it the "Two Chiefs Trail".
The second trail heading north is not visible near the lake, but is around the next bend. It's called the "Aldrich PCT Bypass Trail" and it used by hikers climbing Table Mountain using the Aldrich Butte Trailhead or Dick Thomas Trailhead as a shortcut.
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Carpenter Lake
- Aldrich Butte and Aldrich Falls bushwack!
(Click here to add your own)
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Carpenter Lake
- Table Mountain and Three Corner Rock - 6/10/06
- Wauna Viewpoint, 10/21/06
(Click here to ask a question or start a conversation)
Guidebooks that cover this destination
More Links
- NWHikers.com Hike #18
- L&C's Columbia River - A Photographic Journey
- History of nearby North Bonneville
- Historic photo of the building of an old logging road on Aldrich
Contributors
- jeffstatt (creator)