The Mildred Lakes are located 4.3 miles from Hamma Hamma Road in the Mt Skokomish Wilderness. The lakes are set below Sawtooth Ridge in a heavily wooded basin at the head of the Hamma Hamma River. The Mildred Lakes Trail (#822) was established by hikers and anglers over the years, and is not officially maintained.

Upper Mildred Lake is framed by Mt Cruiser (6,104') and Sawtooth Ridge, on the other side of which is Flapjack Lakes in Olympic National Park

Though navigation around lower Mildred Lake is intuitive, rugged terrain slows travel and limits fishing access to just a few good spots

Are you kidding me?! Yep, that's the trail - a near vertical climb up roots and rock between Huckleberry Creek and the second ridge

High peaks in the 13,015' acre Mt Skokomish Wilderness include Mt Stone (6,612'), Skokomish (6,434'), Henderson (6,000'), Pershing (6,154') and Washington (6,255')'

The Hamma Hamma River forms at Lower Mildred Lake and flows east into the Hood Canal

The trail reaches its max elevation (4,049') on the second ridge with good views down the Hamma Hamma valley

An efficient route traces the upper lake's outlet into the open basin

The trail passes two large ponds between the second ridge and Lower Mildred Lake, which are useful navigational landmarks

What's collectively known as the Skokomish Tribe today, or 'Big River People, is comprised of nine Twana Indian communities

There are a few cloistered campsites at Lower Mildred Lake; you'll find more open space in the thinner forest around Upper Mildred Lake

The descent from the second ridge to the lakes is steep, with many quick shifts and a few false trails that can easily lead you astray

A natural log bridge leads across Huckleberry Creek, but it's a fairly easy ford after the heavy runoff

The absence of a maintained, manicured trail makes travel difficult between the three lakes