North Fork Sauk River — Tuesday, Jul. 15, 2014

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

Access: Forest Road 49 is not signed at the junction with the Mountain Loop Highway. The sign is about 100 feet up Forest Road 49. The signage is more apparent coming in from Darrington, so if you’re traveling from the Granite Falls side just pay attention to your mileage. The turn-off is about 26 miles east of the Verlot Public Service Center. The road itself is in pretty good shape save for quite a few potholes which can be easily avoided with careful driving. Trail Conditions: I hiked as far as the bridge over Red Creek at 4 miles in, and the trail to that point is in excellent condition. There are a few small, easy stream crossings, all trail junctions are clearly signed, and there are no muddy patches or other obstacles. Some of the open areas along the trail are getting brushy, but those stretches don’t last long and the path is always apparent underneath the foliage. This trail is open to horses, so keep an eye out for their droppings. Flora and Fauna: On my trip, I saw an owl (not sure which kind; it flew away too quickly), lots of chipmunks, and some really large slugs. Various ferns and forest wildflowers line the way. Bunchberry and false lily of the valley were blooming. The real star of this hike, though, is the old-growth forest of massive cedar and Douglas firs. Some impressively-sized nurse logs are nurturing some younger trees as well. Views: There are some nice views of the North Fork Sauk and a clear view of Sloan Peak just after the first stream crossing, but the forest views are really what this trail is all about.