This is an alpine lake with a history. Around 1900 optimistic miners built a town here in hopes of silver, or at least lead. Ruins are still easily found on the cliffs, with waste heaps and ore-car rails visible. To get to goat lake drive the mountain loop highway east of Darlington or east from granite falls to the Verlot public service center. From the center go 20 miles to Barlow pass and continue another 5 miles to toward Darlington. About .2 miles beyond the Elliot creek bridge go right 1 mile on road number 4080 and proceed to the trailhead. The hike was 5 miles with frequent elevation changes, not something to take the kids on. The lake's about 25 acres and is glacier-fed.

I lugged along a raft and the first evening was rewarded with 2 brook trout about 6 inches. These were caught on a pink 1/16 ounce rooster tail trolled slow. The following day I continued to catch brook trout nothing bigger than 7 inches. My hopes of catching a golden trout soon diminished. The following morning I left with a smile, after a large breakfast of the previous day's catch. Good luck to anyone who fishes it. John Shifton