Dayhike the Beaver Lake Trail

Directions are from Darrington. Go south out of Darrington on the Mountain Loop Highway( right at the only stop sign in Darrington on HWY 530). Drive 9 miles to the trailhead on your right just after crossing the Sauk River.  Parking area has toilets.

From the parking area the trail drops slightly to an old railway grade used for logging years ago.  Several small spurs lead to the Sauk river in the first 0.5 miles of flat straight trail.  At 0.5 miles come to the Sauk River.  The trail is in the act of falling into the river at this point.  A new trail cut has been made further up from the river.  Be safe and take the new cut.  Views of Mount Pugh and Monte Cristo can also be had here.

From this point the trail dips and winds through the forest never getting far from the Sauk River.  Depending on the season some fairly decent berry picking can be had in this portion of the trail.  At roughly 1.5 miles come to a small bridge crossing the beaver pond.  The pond is actually an oxbow left by the river years ago.  The pond isn't all that attractive but it does have decent bird populations and amphibians abound. 

Once over the bridge the trail continues another 0.5 miles until it comes to an old river channel.  The channel is mostly abandoned and can be crossed during the summer when the flows are low and the water clear enough to see where you are stepping.  Once on the other side the gravel bar is yours to explore.