ACFL Trail #248

Trailhead: Drive south From Anacortes on H Avenue, which becomes Heart Lake Road. Trailhead parking is on the left ½ mile south of the “twin trees” (see photo below left). From Hwy. 20, turn west on Lake Campbell Road, then right at the Lake Erie Grocery. The trailhead is almost immediately on the right, just after the white fenced yard.

Trail: Forested and steep; connects to #247 trails with views of Lake Erie, Mt. Erie and Lake Campbell

Distance/Time: .5 miles roundtrip (400-ft. elevation rise) / 10 min.

MAY 2022 UPDATE: Check for ticks on you and any dogs hiking with you. I have found several to many ticks on my dog after recent hikes on this trail!

There’s no warming up – trail #248 immediately climbs 400 ft. Recently on the way down, I passed a first-timer to this hike who said, “Why would anyone do this for fun?” and the obvious answer is, “Because it feels so good when you come back down!”

There are many rewards for this immediate expenditure of energy: access to the #247 trails that provide views of Lake Erie, Mt. Erie and many big leaf maples and Pacific madrones, rock falls and old cedars. 

Known as the climbers’ trail, #248 and its connecting #247 trail(s) indeed serve as the springboard for those climbing the face of Mt. Erie. At the end of the steep initial climb, pause to catch your breath and to decide whether you’ll choose the left fork (see northbound #247) or right fork (see south & eastbound #247). Both offer lake views and pleasantly challenging ups and downs, so either one is a winning choice.