Hiking Guide
WTA's hiking guide is the most comprehensive database of hikes in Washington, and comprises content written by local hiking experts and user submitted information. All data is vetted by WTA staff. This resource is made possible by the donations of WTA members.
We respectfully acknowledge the lands we are visiting are the homelands of Indigenous tribes of the Pacific Northwest, some of whom have reserved rights on these lands. Tribes continue to rely on and share in the management of these lands today. Please tread gently and treat these places with respect.
Results List
16 HikesLookout Mountain Lookout
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 9.4 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,500 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,719 feet
To get panoramic views of the North Cascades without fighting the crowds at Cascade Pass or Hidden Lake Lookout, look no further than Lookout Mountain, an arduous climb that often gets overlooked by hikers heading to North Cascades National Park. From the fire lookout on the summit, enjoy 360-degree views of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, and a panoply of other North Cascades giants.
Hidden Lake Lookout
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 8.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,900 feet
The Hidden Lake trail is one of the crown jewels of hiking in Washington State. No other trail offers so much as Hidden Lake Lookout: forest, wildflowers, a true alpine environment of stark granite well above treeline, breathtaking summit views of the heart of North Cascades National Park, and a fire lookout with a sweeping history almost as big as the mountainous landscape it gazes over.
Ross Dam Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 1.6 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,100 feet
This forested trail in the North Cascades National Park Complex leads down to Ross Lake and the network of trails in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. Look out over both Ross Lake and Ross Dam before making your way down to Ross Dam itself
Willow Lake Trail
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 23.5 miles, one-way
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Highest Point
- 2,880 feet
The Willow Lake Trail is part of the East Bank Trail in the North Cascades National Park. Willow Lake is a small lake along the route and sits on the north end of Ross Lake.
Fisher Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 14.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,000 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,560 feet
Following a meandering path along a valley floor and then steeply up to a broad pass, the Fisher Creek Trail is part of a 14 mile traverse of breathtaking high mountain scenery through the eastern side of the North Cascades National Park.
Crooked Thumb Peak
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Highest Point
- 8,129 feet
Crooked Thumb Peak is located in the Picket Range of the North Cascades National Park and can be reached via the Big Beaver Trailhead.
Imus Creek Trail
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 0.7 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 150 feet
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Highest Point
- 1,340 feet
If you only have a short time to hike while visiting the secluded town of Stehekin, hop on the Imus Creek Trail to sample what the North Cascades National Park has to offer. This easy self-guided nature walk runs behind the landing for a one mile loop to an overlook of the lake and the majestic mountains that make up the Lake Chelan Valley.
Ruby Mountain
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 17.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 6,300 feet
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Highest Point
- 7,408 feet
Ruby Mountain is a 7408-foot peak in the center of the North Cascades. It has one of the best panoramic views of the lakes, snow-capped peaks and glaciers of the North Cascades National Park.
North Fork Bridge Creek
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 6.5 miles, one-way
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Elevation Gain
- 1,473 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,099 feet
The North Fork of Bridge Creek is a tucked-away gem of a hike in the North Cascades National Park. Accessible from both the Stehekin valley and Highway 20, many people blaze past this side trip on their way along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). But if you choose to explore this branch, you'll be rewarded with stunning mountain valleys at the base of Mount Logan, one of many striking peaks in the North Cascades. Of course, you'll have to share the trail with brush, bugs, and maybe even bears to get there.
Newhalem Creek
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 9.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 800 feet
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Highest Point
- 2,000 feet
Hike towards the base of Klawatti and Austera Peaks along Newhalem Creek on this unmaintained North Cascades National Park trail. Years of blowdowns and overgrowth make this trail difficult to hike and navigate, but Newhalem Falls and the views of the mountains cannot be beaten. It's a great way to get into the North Cascades in the winter and still avoid the snow.
Goode Ridge
Central Cascades > Entiat Mountains/Lake Chelan
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Length
- 10.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 4,400 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,600 feet
A fine trail for those willing to climb to get to great views in a remote part of the North Cascades National Park. Best done as a side trip off an overnight trip from Rainy Pass to Stehekin, or something similar.
Thornton Lakes and Trappers Peak
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 9.7 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 3,789 feet
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Highest Point
- 5,832 feet
Incredible views and beautiful alpine lakes are your reward if you can ascend this steep trail in the North Cascades. At the top, you can choose between taking in sweeping panoramic views of North Cascades National Park and the Pickets Range, or relaxing near the lowest of the Thornton Lakes, both of which make a rewarding destination.
Sterling Munro
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 0.1 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 0 feet
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Highest Point
- 515 feet
The Sterling Munro Boardwalk an accessible trail in North Cascades National Park. Located behind the North Cascades Visitor Center near Newhalem, this short boardwalk extends through thick forest before ending at an expansive view of the distant Picket Range.
Easy Pass
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
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Length
- 7.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 2,800 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,500 feet
Don’t be fooled by the name – the way to Easy Pass is anything but easy. But the reward for your efforts is an eastside gateway into the stunning North Cascades National Park. At the pass, you’re greeted by trickling streams of snowmelt and views of the peaks of Golden Horn and Mount Henry to the east. Venturing further west, gaze into the Park, with awe-inspiring glacially carved river valleys, dark gray craggy massifs of Fisher Peak and Mount Logan dotted with snowfields or cloaked by glaciers, and a host of wildflowers.
Mount Custer
North Cascades
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Highest Point
- 8,630 feet
Mount Custer is a mountain within the norther reaches North Cascades National Park and can be reached via the Chilliwack Lake Forest Service Road in Canada.
Stiletto Vista
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
Between Twisp Pass on the east and Stiletto Peak lookout site (a.k.a. Stiletto Vista) on the west is the North Cascades National Park Stiletto Cross-Country Zone with options for roaming and climbing. For a detailed description of the hiking trail to explore this area, see WTA's Stiletto Peak entry.
