Chadsey Lake & Sumas Mountain Eastern Lookout

The Eastern Lookout from “Baker Rock” offers one of the most unbelievable views of the Fraser Valley landscape. The blue hues of the Vedder river coupled with green-brown farmland, and the snugly fitted mountains make you feel like you are inside a real-life watercolor painting. The viewpoint can be accessed from a variety of different ways including walking up the Sumas Mountain FSR, hiking from the Abby Grind and Taggert peak, or the Centennial Trail. In my opinion, the route beginning at the Sumas Mountain Viewpoint parking lot is the best adventure as it involves some bumpy driving, a lake for a swim, variety in terrain, minimal traffic and the amazing viewpoint at the summit.

Remember the Backcountry Basics

• Carry your Survival Kit & Essentials 
• Let someone know where you’re going with a Trip Plan 
• Know how to avoid negative wildlife encounters 
• Practice Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness pristine
• Carry a Satellite Communicator like SPOT X 

The Breakdown

Directions

The trailhead parking lot is in the Sumas Regional Park. Exit Highway 1 at Whatcom Road. Follow Sumas Mountain Rd, turning onto Batt Rd and then onto Taggert Road to begin heading up the dirt road. Taggert Rd/Sumas Mountain FSR is a well-maintained dirt road. There are some big potholes (nothing crazy), but an SUV or something with a bit of extra clearance will give you peace of mind. I did see some low clearance BMW’s doing okay on the way up, but cannot report on the health of their oil pans 😊. If you have a low clearance car you can park at the lower pull off, or earlier, and take the Centennial Trail up to Chadsey Lake.

The Route

Trailhead & Chadsey Lake

Go past the yellow gate and follow the trail until you reach a junction. The Chadsey Lake Trail is marked and will begin to your right. The trail can be quite muddy so make sure you’ve got hikers on, or shoes with decent traction that you can get dirty. You will reach a confluence with the Centennial Trail, which you will follow to the right. (The Centennial trail is another option beginning from the lower parking lot. If you have a lower clearance vehicle or want some more exercise than this may be the best choice for you.) But, don’t fuss, the Centennial trail is not special and you will not be missing out on anything but extra steps. Chadsey is a beautiful little Lake hiding quietly in the dense forest surrounding. My favorite part is the rope-swing on the North side that makes a summer swim even more enjoyable. There is minimal up and down on the way to Chadsey Lake and would be simple to carry floaties, food and beverages if you wanted to stop here and have a lake day. I didn’t see any fish surfacing, but I know it’s stocked with trout so if you are planning on spending some time here, bring a rod.

The Eastern Lookout (Baker Rock Viewpoint)

Walk around the Lake to the Eastern side to find the Eastern Lookout trailhead. This is where most of the elevation materializes. There are orange flashes (trail markers) marking the trail up to the summit. Make sure to take a peek through the trees as you get nearer to the top for a view of the Duroche/Dewdney area farmland alongside the Fraser river. When you arrive at the summit you will reach the first viewpoint. This viewpoint is quite small and tucked into the trees. Make sure you continue just a bit further North until you get to the Baker Rock. Baker Rock is the money shot!

For the Descent we decided to walk down the Sumas mountain FSR so we wouldn’t have to retrace our steps. Keep an eye out to the bushes so you can catch a glimpse of the mountain bikers blasting through the network of riding trails in the trees. If you wanted to be as efficient as possible or wanted to take Grandma to visit the Baker Rock viewpoint, you could ascend and descend the FSR, but that would really cut down on the adventure. Lastly, make sure you go on a clear day so you don’t get stuck staring at a fog smothered valley.

Did you luck out with clear skies?

Let me know in the comments.