Trail Overview
Snakey Lakes River Road is accessed about 1.3 miles down North Thorne River (FS 3015) on the left. This is a one-lane gravel grass-lined road with large potholes and is a scenic road winding through trees, tall grass, old and newer logging areas, crossing bridges and creeks. There are two roads not mentioned on the map that attach to Snakey Lakes River as well as Snakey Lakes Road. The road veers to the left, where Snakey Lakes River ends in overgrowth and opens up to a recent logging area with nice, larger rock road with whoops that wind around forested areas and open cut areas with places to pull over for passing vehicles. There is a turnaround area at the end, before the road has three berms to close off the road. This road winds around hills and crosses two wooden bridges over creeks. On this scenic hilly road, the elevation is between 119 to 255 feet. This is a down-and-back road. You can see Sitka spruce, Western Hemlock, Red cedar, Yellow cedar, poplar, and birch, as well as lichen, moss, ferns, and dense old-growth forests and flowers in this temperate rainforest. There is wildlife in this area. Be safety-minded for Black bears, changing weather conditions, and sudden changes to the road due to rain and landslides. Always plan your trip with basic survival items and local wildlife safety in mind, in case you get stuck in-between roads during a road washout or landslide. There are limited resources here for clearing roads. It is advisable to have a contact and some form of tracker so that your contact can make sure you are on plan and not stuck somewhere. This road connects to other recreational roads and is not a main road for travel. Prince of Wales has Black Bear, Sitka black-tailed deer, Alexander Archipelago Wolves, Bald Eagles, Osprey, Mink, Marten, Beaver, Ermine, and Flying Squirrels, along with a variety of Marine life and Sea Birds. Salmon, Trout, and Steelhead run in the rivers and creeks here. Weather plays a part in the level of difficulty, as this is in a rainforest, and a lot of these roads go through areas of muskeg/wetlands and hills. There are great views of tree-lined, winding roads, hills, and creeks. Tall grass, ferns, a variety of trees, lichens, moss, muskeg, forest, and flowers can be seen, as well as scenic landscapes. Warnings: Keep on the road and watch hillsides for landslides, watch for falling or down trees, and be cautious of water over the roadway. Watch for signs of road deterioration or washouts due to heavy rainfall. No cell service noted. Check weather conditions and be prepared for rain, fog with low visibility, and lower temperatures. It is a rainforest. Suggested best time of year: June - October.
