Lake Ingalls & Headlight Basin, Washington

Wildflower Destinations > Washington Cascades (Central)

Lake Ingalls & Headlight Basin

Chelan County, Washington

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

Fees: NW Forest Pass

Activity: hiking

Elevation: 4270'-6540'

Current status (as of 2/22/25): not blooming

Notes: While there's no official trail that circumnavigates Ingalls Lake, it's easy enough to do, and the views of Mt. Stuart from the far side of the lake are amazing. If you're feeling even more adventurous, you can make this hike into nearly a full loop by scrambling up from Ingalls Pass, across Peak 6878, and down to Longs Pass; from there you can follow the Longs Pass Trail back down. (The Ingalls Pass side is much steeper, so if you can make it up the west side, you'll have no trouble getting down the east side.)

Peak wildflower bloom at Lake Ingalls & Headlight Basin is typically from early July through mid-August, but there may be some flowers blooming from early June until early September.*

Typical year:

Info links:

US Forest Service

Washington Trails Association

Photo albums: 2013

NWS weather forecast

Wildflowers in this area:

WildflowerSearch.org

iNaturalist observations

Consortium of PNW Herbaria

Featured plants: Chaenactis thompsonii, Claytonia megarhiza var. nivalis, Castilleja elmeri

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* The dates given on this Web site for each location's blooming season are only estimates and can vary from year to year. Weather conditions in the winter and spring can shift these dates by up to a month, especially in the mountains. For the latest updates, check the Oregon Wildflowers or PortlandHikers Facebook groups, or browse the most recent postings to iNaturalist or Instagram.