[1] Lake Ethel sits on a highly glaciated and semibarren alpine basin, surrounded by heather and other wildflowers and a coniferous presence primarily larch pines.

The lakes were given names by Albert Hale Sylvester, a topographer for the United States Geological Survey working throughout the North Cascades National Park Complex around 1900.

Lake Ethel was named by Sylvester after the wife of Forest Service ranger Frank Lenzie.

The trailhead is located 2.5 miles south on Gill Creek Road #6940 off of U.S. Highway 2 in the community of Merritt.

[3] The trail crosses several private logging properties and reaches the lake in approximately 5 miles.