A cairn found in Cohab Canyon, Capitol Reef National Park. Frank and Anne's Canyon Country Hiking and Camping Notebook.

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Foot bridge over Canyon Creek in North Cascades National Park. This page presents information on hiking in and around the North Cascades National Park Service Complex in Washington.
 Hiking

Trails and lakes at lower elevations are usually free of snow from early April to mid-October. Some trails at higher elevations will not open until mid-July. More than 300 miles of maintained trails take you into the Park, Recreation Areas, and adjacent National Forest lands. Parking at some trailheads requires a Northwest Forest Pass, which is available at national park and forest offices and some local stores.

  • After hiking, check for ticks, which may carry Lyme Disease.
  • When horses are approaching, hikers should talk to make their presence known and step off of the trail on the low side.
  • Some stream crossings are not bridged. Cross streams in the morning, when they are lowest, scout for the safest crossings, or turn back if the rushing water is unsafe. A hiking stick can be helpful.
  • Downed trees or washed out sections of trail should be reported at a Ranger Station.
  • Visit the North Cascades National Park Leave No Trace Web site for best practices while hiking.
  • See the Park's Hiking and Backpacking page for more details.
  • See our Backpacking Tips.
  • See our Day Hiking Tips.
Trails

There are hundreds of miles of trails within the Park. These are just a few of the more accessible trails.

Hiked
Check our personal notes for detailed descriptions of these trails:

Canyon Creek Trail
Distance: 15.5 miles one way Rating: Easy to Strenuous
Elevation:   Total Ascent: 500 feet
Trailhead: At mile post 141 along the North Cascades Highway, a short distance east of the Ross Lake and Dam Overlook. There are restrooms at the trailhead.
Description: A short walk will take you over a bridge and a foot log with views of Granite and Canyon Creeks, the Beebe cabin, and an old barn. Trails lead on up Canyon Creek to the old Slate Creek Mining District, down Ruby Creek to Ross Lake, and straight up into the high mountains of the Pasayten Wilderness.
Gorge Overlook Trail
Distance: .5 miles one way Rating: Easy
Elevation:   Total Ascent:  
Trailhead:  
Description: This is a partially paved trail that offers views of deep canyons, Gorge Lake, and Gorge Dam.
Ladder Creek Falls Trail
Distance: .3 miles one way Rating: Moderate
Elevation:   Total Ascent: 100 feet
Trailhead: At mile post 121 along the North Cascades Highway.
Description:  
Thunder Creek Trail
Distance: 1.6 miles round trip to 38 miles one way Rating: Easy to Strenuous
Elevation:   Total Ascent: 6,300 feet
Trailhead: At mile post 130 along the North Cascades Highway; from the Colonial Creek Campground. There are restrooms at the trailhead.
Description: There is an easy 1.6 mile round-trip hike to the suspension bridge. Passes through an ancient forest along the stream.
Washington Pass Overlook Trail
Distance: 810 foot loop Rating: Easy
Elevation:   Total Ascent:  
Trailhead: At mile post 162 along the North Cascades Highway. There are restrooms at the trailhead.
Description: The trail leads to spectacular views from a 700 foot bluff at the summit of the Scenic Highway.

Not Hiked

  • Blue Lake Trail
  • Boyd Creek Interpretive Trail
  • Bridge Creek Trail
  • Cedar Creek Trail
  • Cutthroat Lake Trail
  • Cutthroat Pass Trail
  • Diablo Lake Trail
  • Driveway Butte Trail
  • Early Winters Trail
  • East Bank Trailhead
  • East Creek / Mebee Pass Trail
  • Easy Pass Trail
  • Fourth of July Pass and Panther Creek Trail
  • Happy Creek Forest Walk
  • Jakita Ridge Trail
  • Lake Ann Trail
  • Lone Fir Trail
  • Maple Pass Loop Trail
  • Methow Trail
  • Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail
  • Pyramid Lake Trail
  • Rainy Lake Trail
  • River Loop Trail
  • Rock Shelter Trail
  • Ross Dam Trail—East Bank
  • Ross Dam Trail—West Bank
  • Ruby Creek Trail
  • Sauk Mountain Trail
  • Shadow of the Sentinels Trail
  • Sourdough Mountain Trail
  • Sterling Munro Trail
  • Thornton Lakes Trail
  • Thunder Knob Trail
  • Thunder Woods Trail
  • Trail of the Cedars
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This page was last updated Sunday, June 21, 2009
   
 
   
 
A Canyon Country cairn.