Mount Adams South Climb, Around-the-Mountain

We used the western approach to Bird Creek Meadows to avoid driving the long and slow road to Bird Lake. This approach involves driving from Trout Lake to the Mount Adams South Climb trailhead. All the road junctions are well-signed; the trailhead parking area at Cold Springs Campground requires a Northwest Forest Pass.

This in-and-out hike is about 11.2 miles.

We hiked up the South Climb Trail about 1.2 miles to the junction with the Round-the-Mountain Trail and turned east. Now the hiking became more fun as the grades lessened and views opened up, particularly crossing over the Aiken Lava Bed. In about 2.5 miles, the Round-the-Mountain Trail crossed the signed boundary of the Yakama Nation's lands. This is also where the meadows begin.

This late in the season, we had missed the prime flower time at Bird Creek Meadows, but there still was plenty of pink monkeyflower along the streams and the gentians were just beginning to bloom in the meadows.

We continued to the junction with the Trail of the Flowers and turned onto it. At the next junction, we stayed left again to reach Hellroaring Overlook and our turnaround spot.