Slate Gorge - FS 80964

This trail branches off of Washington Lake Trail and does a half circle out to near the edge of the gorge, down to Mirror Lake Highway, before heading back and reconnecting with Washington Lake Trail. This trail is relatively smooth, with some spots with smaller and loose rocks throughout the trail, except for one obstacle on the north half of this trail, which is a steep section of road that has two ledges along that section. Due to that obstacle, this trail is easiest run clockwise, which has you going down the ledges rather than climbing them. This trail stays in the trees for the entirety of the trail, but on the eastern edge of the trail the trees thin out a bit, and you can view the gorge where Mirror Lake Highway runs through the trees. This trail is open to all vehicles year-round and has no seasonal closure date, but will be impassable due to deep snow during the winter and spring months, usually November through June.