White Pass to Chinook Pass

South Cascades

Get ready for 28 miles of very scenic hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). This is a great intro to backpacking route: Four days, seven to eight miles per day of relatively flat backpacking. The trail is well marked, there are abundant camp sites and many stopping points along the way.

The best way to approach this thru-hike is to use two cars or a key swap. Drop one car at Chinook Pass, drive approximately 45 minutes to White Pass and start hiking from there.

It is strongly recommended that you go south to north. It's the most scenic--unfolding and becoming more spectacular each day, and you won't be hiking with the sun in your eyes.

Wildflower meadows, still ponds and small lakes evolve into beautiful crest vistas of the Goat Rocks, Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier, and any climbing you do will be towards the end of your hike, after you've gotten your hiking legs strengthened with a couple of days of walking.

If you're looking for camping spots, consider the following:
Day 1: White Pass to Sand Lake (3 mi) or Pipe Lake (7.5 mi)
Day 2: Fish Lake or Crag Lake
Day 3: American Lake or Cougar Lake
Day 4: Out via Dewey Lake, to Chinook Pass

White Pass to Chinook Pass

Map & Directions

Getting There

The White Pass trailhead is found approximately a half-mile east of the White Pass Ski area on Hwy 12. The trailhead is not well marked on the highway--look for a brown sign with a horse icon on it, between Leech Lake and a nearby horse camp.