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Youth-on-Age Interpretive Trail

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway
48.0710, -121.6548 Map & Directions
Length
0.25 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
0 feet
Calculated Difficulty About Calculated Difficulty
Easy

Trail Closed

  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Wildlife
  • Old growth
  • Good for kids
  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Fall foliage

Parking Pass/Entry Fee

Northwest Forest Pass

A paved interpretive trail on the Mountain Loop Highway near Verlot. Perfect for exploring children, curious adults, an extra add-on after a longer hike, or a leg stretch during a driving tour of the area. Continue reading

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Hiking Youth-on-Age Interpretive Trail

The Youth-on-Age Nature Trail, named after a plant of the same name, is a short interpretive trail on the Mountain Loop Highway near Verlot. Perfect for exploring children, curious adults, an extra add-on after a longer hike, or a leg stretch during a driving tour of the area.

The somewhat unusually named plant grows along this trail during late summer and autumn, when new growth (youth) burst forth from the base of the older, more established (age) parts of the plant. While the trails name springs from this particular plant, evidence of new growth bursting from older specimens abounds on this trail. And you can explore it all in less than half a mile.

The way is paved, but because of roots pushing through the ground and sandy soil, it is not particularly wheelchair-friendly. If you're navigating with a wheelchair or stroller, you'll need a sturdy one, and someone to give you a helping hand in sections.

However, interpretive signs dot the trail and provide a nice education about the area, as well as the plants and animals that call this forest home. Look in particular for evidence of erosion by the mighty Stillaguamish River here, and, in addition to the eponymous youth-on-age, Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, and Washington's state tree, the western hemlock.

WTA worked here in 2011!

Hike Description Written by
Multiple authors contributed to this report, WTA Community

Youth-on-Age Interpretive Trail

Map & Directions

Trailhead
Co-ordinates: 48.0710, -121.6548 Open in Google Maps

Before You Go

Trail Closed

See weather forecast

Parking Pass/Entry Fee

Northwest Forest Pass

WTA Pro Tip: Save a copy of our directions before you leave! App-based driving directions aren't always accurate and data connections may be unreliable as you drive to the trailhead.

Getting There

From Granite Falls, drive 11 miles to the Verlot Public Service Center and continue 7 miles on the Mountain Loop Highway to the Youth on Age Trailhead, on the south side of the highway.

More Hike Details

Trailhead

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

Youth on Age (#738)

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Darrington Ranger District

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Youth-on-Age Interpretive Trail

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