Heather - Maple Pass Loop — Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20

We may have caught the last week of indian summer, and what a treat it was to spend it on the Heather Pass-Maple Pass loop! The larches are in full yellow, and enough of them still had some lime green remaining that there may be a few more weeks of this golden gorgeousness. Blueberry bushes and brush paint the hillsides pink and red. We hiked the entire loop and were treated to ever-changing spectacular scenery and perfect weather. Rightly popular, but worth both the drive and the crowds for a most amazing fall adventure! An added bonus: we found the Colonial Creek campground to be both open and free in October! Great base camp for a couple North Cascades Fall hikes (we stayed at Colonial Creek on friday night, hiked Blue Lake saturday, slept at the Blue Lake trailhead in our VW van saturday night, and did Heather Pass-Maple Pass on sunday.) Also, the drive through the North Cascades is NW autumn at its best.