Mount Vernon, Washington

This place is really the stuff of fairy tales. Where else can you find a tiny cabin with 360-degree views of stunning mountain scenery? To the west, you can see all the way to Bellingham and the Puget Sound. To the south and east lie the jagged North Cascades. And the entire northern horizon is ...

Begin at the Park Butte trailhead, trail 603. Hike past the first Scott Paul trail sign a few hundred feet from the trailhead. Continue on and cross appropriately name Rocky Creek heading up on the Park Butte Trail. Continue up the Park Butte trail passing the Scott Paul trail again at about 4,50...

The Easton Glacier route is one of the mountain’s most popular and likewise, most crowded. Check out Mt. Baker’s Squak Glacier route or Coleman Deming Glacier route for an alternative climb with similar difficulty.You’ll start out at Schreibers Meadow Trailhead (3,200 ft.). To get there, exit off...

NOTE: THIS ROUTE REQUIRES GLACIER TRAVEL SKILLSMt Baker, or Kulshan, is a remarkable mountain in northwest Washington. Whether you're in Anacortes, Bellingham, Vancouver or on the San Juan Islands you can see Mt Baker standing as a citadel over the Northwest. Unlike the more popular routes like t...

For what was once a highly contested and disputed piece of land in the Pacific Ocean, now lays home to one of the most peaceful, tranquil, and historic hikes in the island chain. Start the hike at the parking lot of the San Juan Island National Historic Site American Camp Visitor Center. Proceed ...

Starting at the marked Heliotrope Ridge parking lot of FS Road 39, just 8 miles out of the quaint town of Glacier, Washington, you begin your ascent to the glacier viewpoint. The trailhead sign indicates that it is a strenuous 2,000 ft gain over 2.5 miles up to the overlook.This clearly cut trail...

Racehorse Creek is broken up into four distinct waterfalls that drop a total of 140ft through a relatively shallow gorge. The first two waterfalls are punchbowl-type falls that have deep holes at their bases. Immediately below the second waterfall, the creek descends rapidly before it arrives at...

Access the hike from a 26.5-mile drive down Baker Lake Rd to the Baker Lake Trailhead. Note that the last 6 miles are unpaved and rather rough. The trail starts at low elevation so there's rarely snow or condition concerns, even in early spring. The trail runs alongside and then crosses the Bake...

Even from the Trailhead, the views overlooking the Skagit River valley, all the way out toward Mount Vernon, are outstanding. The trail follows 20 tight switchbacks as it makes it's way 600 feet up to the southern crest of the summit ridge. This is a steep slope and it's possible to look straight...

Hike the well-maintained Mount Pilchuck Lookout trail through a variety of terrain: old-growth forest and granite boulder fields. At the top, you'll reach a lookout tower perched on Mount Pilchuck. Pilchuck sits on the western edge of the Cascades, which offers up amazing panoramic views once you...

The trail takes you on a gradual climb up to Heather Lake with beautiful second growth to admire along the way. The trail can be very wet and muddy with many tree roots to catch your toes, so make sure to wear a sturdy pair of tennis shoes or hiking shoes. Dogs are permitted on this trail on-leas...

If you're looking for a taste of the Mountain Loop Highway area, but don't have it in you for a longer, steeper journey, look no further than Lake 22. The trail starts out as flat and well-maintained, from the parking lot, before becoming a true mountain rainforest trail. Water and dampness are f...

Mount Grant Preserve is still in the midst of becoming an official park, but is open to the public for hiking, so you will get to see this amazing spot before it's too crowded. With a trial system currently being made, most people hike up the established road, but there are well marked signs to h...

The drive up to the starting point of the trail to Anderson and Watson Lake was easy, but at the end it gets a little tricky - the service road is sharp gravel and runs for about 10 miles to the trailhead. Some spots are steep and there are large potholes, but slow and steady wins the race. There...

The Trail From the parking area proceed back towards the road and hang a right up an abandoned road bed.  The trail follows this road bed for a about 0.2 miles before the real trail becomes evident.  The first 0.5 - 1.0 miles of this trail can be difficult.  Deadfall, wet, steep, and root covere...

Turn left off of the Grandy-Baker Lake Road onto FS RD 1130 just past the Boulder Creek Campground. Stay right at the first fork in the road. At 3.9 miles go right towards Rainbow Falls.  The falls are located at a large bend in the road at approximately 4.5 miles.  I have never found a good safe...