Hiker Headlines: Trailhead Direct is back, it's backcountry overnight permit season, Mount St. Helens trail closures

It’s May 16. Trailhead Direct is starting back up again for the hiking season — and bringing back some routes! The backcountry overnight permit seasons for North Cascades National Park and the Enchantments are starting. And there are some funding wins to celebrate this week. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Trailhead Direct is back, and is bringing back routes to the Issaquah Alps, including to Margaret's Way. Photo by Joe Gonzalez.  

Take a bus to trails: Starting May 25, Trailhead Direct will run routes from Seattle to multiple trailheads. Like last year, the bus will stop at the Mount Si, Mount Teneriffe and Little Si trailheads. Coming back this year are also routes to several Issaquah Alps trailheads: Margaret’s Way, Squak Mountain, Chirico Trail (to Poo Poo Point), High School Trail and East Sunset Way. The service will run every weekend through Sunday, Sept. 15, as well as on Memorial Day (May 27), the Fourth of July and Labor Day (Sept. 2). 

Construction projects: Be aware of the following construction projects, which might affect your hiking plans: 

• A large project has started at Spirit Lake just northeast of Mount St. Helens. The following trails will be closed every Monday to Friday from May 15 to Oct. 31 through 2027: Truman Trail, Plains of Abraham - Windy Pass Loop (except for the Loowit Trail segment), Windy Trail, Loowit Falls, Windy Ridge and Plains of Abraham, Windy Ridge and Harry’s Ridge. Additionally, the Loowit Trail will not be accessible via the Willow Springs or Abraham trails. All trails will be open all weekends and federal holidays through the construction season. 
• The Adams Fork bridge on FR 5601 at milepost 2 is closed to all traffic until further notice. This closure does not restrict any access to trailheads, but may require hikers to take alternate routes to some trailheads, including Muddy Meadows. Instead of taking FR 5601, hikers should take FR 23. 

Peak permit season: Both the North Cascades and Enchantments backcountry overnight permit seasons are starting. Please be aware that there is still snow at higher elevations. 

• The North Cascades wilderness information center opens Friday, May 17. All hikers planning to camp in the national park must reserve a permit online at least 2 days before the trip starts or obtain a walk-up permit at the wilderness information center (on a first-come, first-served basis). 
• Eightmile Road in the Enchantments — the road to the Colchuck/Stuart and Eightmile/Caroline trailheads — is open for the season. This also marks the start of the permit period; all hikers hoping to get a permit for the Enchantments area must reserve them online using a smart device (with location services turned on) within a 1-mile radius of the Leavenworth Ranger Station on the day before the intended start of their hike. 

Funding wins: Washington has received a lot of funding to support our public lands and forests!

• The Forest Service has allocated $26.6 million to Washington to fund projects to reduce wildfire risk in local communities. Some of these projects include prescribed fires, creation of fire break lines and expanding community wildfire protection plans.
• The Forest Service has allocated over $30 million to Washington to fund conservation efforts on private forestlands that support rural economies. Some of this funding will be used to protect lands around Trout Lake and Green Mountain (Kitsap County). $15.3 million of the total allocation will be used to acquire 9,700 acres of land adjacent to the Teanaway Community Forest, to be managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources. 

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