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Fairangel Lakes Trail: The little-known cousin to Reed Lakes
The Fairangel Lakes hike is essentially a miniature, less-crowded version of the uber-popular Reed Lakes trail. You get almost all the same things (boulder-hopping, beautiful alpine lakes, a couple of easy water crossings) in a shorter hike. There’s also a little steep mud, a few mining relics, and one somewhat acrobatic water crossing early on.
Altogether, I’d call this trail moderately difficult.
Fairangel Lakes is hike 9 in my guidebook Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska, and one of 13 splendid hiking trails in Hatcher Pass.
| Round Trip: 2.6 miles | Nearest community: Wasilla/Palmer |
| Elevation gain: 1,180 feet | Typical season: July to September |
| Parking fee: No fee | Nearby trails: Lane Hut, Reed Lakes, Gold Mint, Marmot Mountain, Blueberry Knoll, Government Peak |
Fairangel Lakes Trailhead Directions
Take Trunk Road north from Wasilla until the road ends in a T intersection. Turn left at the T, which will be signed either for some variety of “Fishhook” road or for Hatcher Pass Road. At about mile 14.4 of Hatcher Pass Road, turn sharply right onto unpaved, often rough Archangel Road.
This road usually doesn’t open until June or July; it depends on weather. It’s also gated shut once winter sets in.
Keep driving past the trailhead (on your right) for Reed Lakes and Snowbird Mine, then continue over extremely rough road that requires good ground clearance and preferably AWD or 4WD. Park at the end of the road, making sure not to block any other vehicles in.
Archangel Road gets very rough after the Reed Lakes trailhead. If you prefer to leave your vehicle at Reed Lakes, you can walk or bike the remaining 1.7 miles (one-way) to the start of the Fairangel Lakes trail.
Hiking Fairangel Lakes
I’m sure that one day, someone will stick a sign at the start of this trail. But as of my most recent visit, the easiest way to be sure you’re on the path to Fairangel Lakes is to start at the very end of Archangel Road. Turn around, walk back up the road, and look for a clear but unmarked footpath leading downhill to your right. If there’s a small shed at the start of the trail, you walked too far down the road and are on the wrong trail.
If you did end up on the correct trail to Fairangel Lakes, you’ll hit a pair of mildly gymnastic stream fords at just 0.1 mile in. Use your own judgment and observation of current conditions to decide whether you can make it safely.
Next, you’ll cross an easy boulder field at about 0.5 miles in, and then cross another stream at 0.6 miles. Shortly after you’ll embark on a steep, muddy scramble that brings you to Lower Fairangel Lake. Keep following the trail up and to the left, as it curves around the slope and delivers you to Upper Fairangel Lake.
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Lisa Maloney
A long-time Alaskan, Lisa has written three award-winning guidebooks including "Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska" and "50 Hikes Around Anchorage." She also served as senior editor of Alaska magazine and has written hundreds of newspaper columns and magazine articles about her adventures around the state. Learn more about her at http://maloneywrites.com.
