Marten Lake WA

6/23/26

Marten Lake is an Alpine Lake located off the Middle Fork Road and the Snoqualmie Lake trail. The lake is located at the foot of Rooster Mountain, a seldomly climbed peak. The Middle Fork Road is the forgotten sibling of I:90 and often goes unnoticed by hikers.  Yet it's home to some of WA's most underrated hikes and lushest areas. Joining me on the adventure was my brother Nathan.

Nathan and I left Bellevue around 10 and rolled into the trail just before 11. Driving through the Middle Fork Road was stunning; it's just so green this time of year. The Snoqualmie Lake trail starts as an old FSR as you step around a gate across Taylor River, which is an offspring of the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie. The trail snakes along the creek for 2.7 miles, slowly gaining elevation. We went through Salmon Berry patches, past bubbling creeks, all under the shade of the trees. 2.7 miles in, and we reached the cutoff up to Marten Lake. We went another 100 feet forward, where the trail met Marten Creek, a tributary of Taylor Creek. Water rushed down Marten Creek, forming a deep blue swimming hole right next to the trail. This was a beautiful place to stop and watch the water.

through the lush greenery

Marten Creek

Lil swimming hole

After our break, we backtracked and hopped on the Marten Lake Trail, an unmaintained climber's trail that steeply ascended the forested hillside. This section reminded me of Gunn Peak, as we navigated fallen trees, tree roots, and brush. The whole time, we remained close to Marten Creek, which followed us up to Marten Lake. Halfway up, we began to break through the trees, and we headed through a massive patch of salmon berries that had completely overtaken the trail. Be prepared to get some new scratches on your arms; the trail is so overgrown in some spots that it becomes invisible. Treen Peak, Big Snow Mountain, and Summit Chief, all tough, prominent peaks, became visible as we pushed up the patch. Just before reaching the lake, we plunged back into the woods as we ascended the last few hundred feet up to our destination.

Through the Salmon Berry patches

Rooster Lake

We followed a trail down the shore and set up along a series of flat, nice rocks that sat in the sun with a direct view of Rooster Mountain to the east. The water was quite nice as I took a dip, dried off, ate lunch, and headed back down. The descent was painless, and I enjoyed looking at the peaks as we descended through the berry patches up top. We only saw 5 people on the Marten Lake Trail.

Overall, this was a great alternative to some of the packed lake hikes near Seattle. As always, the Middle Fork provides amazing trails, and I'm excited to do a few of the tougher mountains along the road. As always, Stay Safe and Happy Hiking.
8 Miles – 1,800' Elev Gained – 4:50 C2C