No. 31 Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Distance from Seattle 124 miles, 2 1/2 hrs

Drive I-5 to the Burlington/Anacortes Ferry/Rte 20 east exit (exit 230, south of Bellingham, north of Everett), or Hwy 9 to Rte 20 at Sedro Woolley.

The drive to Diablo Lake will take you through flat plains of agricultural fields and live stock ranches, weaves along side creeks and rivers and starts you on your accent into the Cascade Mountain Region. Depending on the time of year you are making this road trip you will be able to spot visiting American Bald Eagles in the hundreds during the winter migration to Rockport (You can read about Eagle spotting here). See running waterfalls along side the road. Waterfalls are best viewed in early spring or after a heavy rain fall for best flow rates. Remember to bring a long a sturdy tripod, cable release and microfiber cloths if you plan on doing some water fall shots to get the an interesting image. 

Diablo Lake is a reservoir in the North Cascade mountains of northern Washington state, USA. Created by Diablo Dam, the lake is located between Ross Lake and Gorge Lake on the Skagit River at an elevation of 1,201 feet (366 m) above sea level. Diablo Lake is part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project and managed by Seattle City Light

The lake is home to rainbow, cutthroat, brook, and the federally threatened bull trout. It is a popular recreational spot for kayakers and canoeists. The unique, intense turquoise hue of the lake's water is attributed to the surrounding glaciers that grind rocks into a fine powder that is carried into the lake through creeks. That fine powder stays suspended in the lake, giving the water its brilliant color.Diablo Lake receives the flow of many glaciers, including North Cascades National Park's largest, Boston Glacier high on the flanks of 8,845-foot Mount Forbidden. That gorgeous green is caused by tiny rock particles eroded by the ice.

Dialo Lake is outside of North Cascades National Park, but inside the Ross Lake National Recreation Area and so within the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. It is one of two ways paddlers can get to Ross Lake, which can be reached by road only on its north end in B.C. Most Washington paddlers get to Ross and its 19 remote boat-in campgrounds by launching at Colonial Creek Campground, just off the North Cascades Highway and on Diablo Lake's Thunder Arm.

And like Ross, crowning Diablo high above are exquisite, glaciated peaks that make a stunning backdrop for paddlers. Most notably are 7,772-foot Colonial Peak and its glacier of the same name, nearby Pinnacle Peak, and the classic upside-down cone of Pyramid Peak.

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Diablo Lake circa 1950 / Seattle Municipal Archives

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