This week we head to Heather Meadows and explore the beautiful scenery in the area. Heather Meadows is a subalpine recreation area located in Mount Baker State Park, with numerous trails and beautiful views. We briefly mentioned this place in past posts, because both Chain Lakes Trail #895238 and Ptarmigan Ridge Trail #887421 are both accessed through Artist Point, which is the highest elevation vehicle accessible place in Heather Meadows.

These pictures were from our 2018 late September visit, during which time the wild blueberry bushes had turned red, giving the area a nice touch of autumn. Once you enter the Heather Meadows area, the first beauty that welcomes you is Picture Lake. It is a small lake with a short, less than 1km, trail around the lake. Although small, the view at the lake is very pretty, as Mount Shuksan stands tall far in the background, and the calm waters of the lake is always painting a pretty picture via reflection. After spending some time at Picture Lake and walking the short trail around it, we drove higher up to in elevation and reached Artist Point. We hiked the Artist Ridge Trail from Artist Point. The Artist Ridge Trail is another short 2.4km out-and-back trail with about 80m elevation gain. There was a puddle of snow melted water (which I guess you can call a lake) at the end of the trail, with Mount Shuksan in direct view behind the puddle. After hiking the Artist Ridge Trail, we got back to our car and drove to the visitor center parking lot to explore the Fire and Ice Trail and also parts of the Bagley Lakes Trail. We saw the Bagley Lakes, Bagley Creek, and more beautiful views.

Info at Picture Lake board introducing Heather Meadows and Picture Lake

Picture Lake with Mount Shuksan standing tall behind it.

Walking the Picture Lake trail. I like the autumn colours. My daughter was so small back then. She is much taller now.

Relfection like a mirror.

Large parking lot at Artist Point.

Map of Heather Meadows. Red line is vehicle roads. Black dotted lines are trails.

Hiking the Artist Ridge Trail with Mount Shuksan in the background.

We can see Mount Baker while hiking Artist Ridge Trail.

Mountains and valley.

End of Artist Ridge Trail marked by this puddle of snow melted water. I believe they call this spot Huntoon Point. Mount Shuksan is in the background again.

Driving towards the visitor center parking lot. The visitor center is the building in this photo.

Heading down Bagley Lakes Trail.

One of the lakes.

Kids walking down a slab.

Bagley Creek.

We reached one of the lakes.

Bridge to cross Bagley Creek.

Valley and lakes.

Check out my previous hikes:

1. The Panoramic Views of Panorama Ridge
2. The Golden Larches of Frosty Mountain
3. The Winter Snow of Pump Peak at Mount Seymour
4. Sapphire Waters and Azure Skies of Battle Bluff
5. It Isn't Always Sunshine and Blue Skies
6. The Frozen River and Waterfalls of Maligne Canyon
7. The Amazing Arches of Arches National Park
8. The Bizarre Hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park
9. The Magnificent Stones of Zion National Park
10. The Flowing Walls of Lower Antelope Canyon
11. A Glimpse of Hope at the Hope Lookout Trail
12. Turquoise Waters viewed from Sea to Summit Trail
13. The Three Peaks of Mount Seymour
14. The Serene Winter Scene at Dog Mountain
15. Murrin Loop and Jurassic Ridge
16. Yosemite National Park
17. The Bear's Hump at Waterton National Park
18. Views of Okanagan from Pincushion Mountain Trail
19. The Half Frozen Waterfalls at Franklin Falls
20. Hole in the Wall of Vancouver Island
21. Sometimes You Just Get Lucky
22. Winter Wonderland at Alexander Falls
23. Eagle Bluffs
24. Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park
25. Admiralty Point
26. Myra Canyon Trail
27. Garabaldi Lake
28. Botanical Beach Loop
29. Wild Pacific Trail Lighthouse Loop
30. Whistler Train Wreck Trail
31. Grouse Grind
32. Crown Mountain
33. Chance Cove Coastal Trail
34. Big Four Ice Caves
35. Stawamus Chief First Peak
36. Four Lakes Trail at Alice Lake Provincial Park
37. Four Lakes Trail Winter Revisit
38. Lindeman Lake Trail
39. Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
40. Steelhead Falls
41. Cascade Falls
42. Dawson Falls
43. Bridal Veil Falls
44. Kay Falls and Bear Creek Falls
45. Lions Bay Loop and Crystal Falls
46. Overlander Falls
47. Flood Falls
48. Marymere Falls
49. Johnston Canyon Lower Falls
50. Elfin Lakes
51. Gold Creek Lower Falls
52. Nairn Falls
53. Lower and Upper Shannon Falls
54. Brandywine Falls
55. Mamquam Falls
56. Cliff Gilker Park Waterfalls
57. Snoqualmie Falls
58. Norvan Falls
59. Niagara Falls and Trestles at Goldstream Park
60. Niagara Falls
61. Ptarmigan Ridge
62. Chain Lakes Trail
63. Cambie Creek Loop
64. Mushrooms of Norvan Falls Trail
65. Cheakamus Lake Trail
66. Panorama Ridge via Helm Creek Trail
67. Saint Mark's Summit
68. West Lion
69. Elk Mountain
70. Quarry Rock
71. Bowen Lookout winter trail
72. Black Tusk and Garabaldi Lake
73. Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park
74. Smoke Bluffs Loop
75. Dog Mountain Autumn Revisit
76. Lake Louise Fairview Lookout Trail
77. Pitt-Addington Marsh
78. Mount Revelstoke National Park
79. Joffre Lakes
80. Crippen Regional Park and Killarney Lake
81. Squamish Estuary Trail
82. Grand Canyon South Rim
83. Kanaka Creek Regional Park
84. Jug Island Beach Trail
85. Hole in the Wall at Olympic Peninsula
86. Abby Grind
87. Mount Thom
88. McKee Peak via McKee Road
89. Devil's Punchbowl in Olympic National Park
90. Moraine Lake
91. Buntzen Lake Loop
92. Tree of Life
93. Ladner Creek Trestle
94. Teapot Hill