Diablo Lake - Colonial Creek Campground -Washington
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover and never ever judge a lake by its name. Diablo Lake is anything but devilish. In fact, it’s a little slice of Pacific Northwest heaven. Located on Highway 20 in the heart of the Cascade Mountains this lake will surprise you with its cool clean turquoise colored water.
We were lucky enough to stay in the Colonial Creek Campground which is South of Diablo Lake. The campground is at the base of Colonial Peak in an old growth forest. The lake and campground are managed by the North Cascades National Park.
It’s clear this is a national forest campground. Our site was extremely clean and we saw several rangers and volunteers. We stayed in two different campsites and each one was spacious and private. Some campsites are located right on the water, we enjoyed the forest for its tranquility and serenity. One volunteer stopped by our campsite to let us know about a bear in the area and gave us a refresher on bear safety. Each campsite had a bear locker we were more than happy to use. A bear locker is a large very well constructed heavy metal cabinet with handles that bears cannot open.
The campground contains a fully accessible dock which is also a fishing pier and boat launch. Water in Diablo Lake and Thunder Creek gets its turquoise color from glacial runoff which also means this water is extremely cold. The calm waters on this lake make it a great place for kayaks, canoes and paddle boards. Boaters and anglers are also welcome.
The Diablo Lake area is full of opportunities to recreate. There are many trails, campgrounds, an environmental learning center and a resort. Fun fact, there are even boat-in campsites available throughout the area. (See below for links)
We hiked Thunder Creek trail and it was a lovely way to spend the day. We didn’t ascend all the way to the top which is known as the Thunder Knob Trail but we enjoyed the old growth forest, glacial creek and rock formations.
The Colonial Creek campground was also a very popular backpacking destination. Throughout the North Cascades National Park there are 140 backcountry campsites. We saw several people staying overnight in the parking lot to be up and on their way early in the morning. All backcountry sites require a permit which is free and available at ranger stations on a first come first serve basis.
Our Take: We went in the peak season of this campground. There were several large groups which completely took over. They could be very loud and distracting especially at night. During the day there are plenty of places to escape and find your own piece of serenity.
If you’re on Instagram then you have definitely seen a photo of this lake. It’s one of the most instagramable places in the Pacific Northwest.
Fire Ring: Yes
Ranger Station: Yes
Trash on site: Yes, dispersed throughout the campground. Yes, recycling.
Water on site: Yes
Links: North Cascades National Park, Colonial Creek South Campground, Wilderness and Boat-In camping, North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, Ross Lake Resort
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