Navigation Trail to Upper Priest Lake
The spectacular 8.1-mile Navigation Trail meanders through old-growth hemlock and white pine to the shores of Upper Priest Lake – a stunning three-mile-long backcountry lake that can be reached only by trail or by boat via the Thoroughfare. For the most part the trail is fairly wide and flat (and is suitable for mountain bikes). For three miles the trail snakes through forest, then comes to Plowboy Campground at south end of the lake. From this point the trail draws near to the edge of the lake for about two miles; near Navigation Campground on the lake, the trail pulls an uphill climb for a ways before dropping the campground. It can be done as a day hike, but an overnight camp at Upper Priest Lake is just about impossible to beat.
Details: 8.1 miles one way to north end of lake, easy difficulty
Directions: The trailhead is at the USFS Beaver Creek Campground, 11.8 miles north of Nordman at Priest Lake.
More Information
Trail Map (USFS)
USFS Navigation Trail page