Monte Cristo ghost town
Aug 04, 2012
by
retromama
—
last modified
Aug 06, 2012 11:55 AM
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Monte Cristo ghost town
- Region: North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
- Agency: Mount Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest, Darrington Ranger District
- Trails: (#)
- Avg Rating: 3.50
- Hiking Companions
- Hiked with kids
- Why You Should Go Now
- Wildflowers blooming
- Ripe berries
- Be Aware Of
- Bridge out
- Bugs
Beautiful view heading toward the townsite.
This hike is 8 miles round trip that has little elevation gain/loss. Most of the trail follows along an old road so walking it is relatively easy. Sometimes it deviates from this and then footing becomes trickier. There is a log bridge crossing just before the mile marker. It can be scary for young children and footing can be a bit tricky, but it can be done.
The trail is in good shape, for the most part. It seems to be traveled pretty frequently. There were a number of hikers we passed along the way. Bugs were an issue today, but we did manage to go the entire trip without breaking out the bug spray. Just don't stop near any water for too long.
There are a couple of toilets along the way to use and one just before you reach the townsite. There are downed logs periodically for weary hikers to rest. Fantastic views abound and there are some great spots for photos.
Once you get to the townsite, two old signs welcome you to the area. There are a number of old artifacts to explore. There are 6 (if I recall) buildings but they are boarded up and/or locked. It looks like the Forest Service uses a couple of them. It's a fun area to explore and imagine what life must have been like for the miners that once lived here.
This is a great hike for kids, but it's a long one. Plan on it being a full day trip. Make sure to pack enough water and snacks. If you take plenty of breaks along the way, you should be fine. Another way to "hike" this trail would be by mountain bike. We saw a few families on bikes. The only issue you may have is getting the bikes across the river on the log bridge.
To see more of our hike go to: http://1retromama.blogspot.[…]nsite-trail-mountain_6.html
The trail is in good shape, for the most part. It seems to be traveled pretty frequently. There were a number of hikers we passed along the way. Bugs were an issue today, but we did manage to go the entire trip without breaking out the bug spray. Just don't stop near any water for too long.
There are a couple of toilets along the way to use and one just before you reach the townsite. There are downed logs periodically for weary hikers to rest. Fantastic views abound and there are some great spots for photos.
Once you get to the townsite, two old signs welcome you to the area. There are a number of old artifacts to explore. There are 6 (if I recall) buildings but they are boarded up and/or locked. It looks like the Forest Service uses a couple of them. It's a fun area to explore and imagine what life must have been like for the miners that once lived here.
This is a great hike for kids, but it's a long one. Plan on it being a full day trip. Make sure to pack enough water and snacks. If you take plenty of breaks along the way, you should be fine. Another way to "hike" this trail would be by mountain bike. We saw a few families on bikes. The only issue you may have is getting the bikes across the river on the log bridge.
To see more of our hike go to: http://1retromama.blogspot.[…]nsite-trail-mountain_6.html
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One of the old signs that remains.
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Old artifacts.
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