Hikes Near Seattle

Mt. Teneriffe (early season, some snow)

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Sat, 31 May 2008 02:29:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: less than 1 hour
Hiking distance (round trip): 14 miles (22.5 km)
Elevation gain: 4,000 ft (1,200 m)
Highest point: 4,788 ft (1,450 m)
Green Trails Map: 174
Permits: No permits or fees are currently required to park at the trail head.

This must be one of Seattle's best-kept hiking secrets. The trailhead for Mt. Teneriffe is just a mile past the giant parking lot for Mt. Si, yet very few people bother to do this hike despite fantastic views it offers (much better than what you can get from Mt. Si). Well, there might be some reasons for it---this hike is significantly tougher than Si: it's 14 miles long, the elevation gain is 4000 ft, and the last mile follows an unmaintained (but reportedly easy to follow) trail.

We did this hike in late May and, given the time of the year, we hit snow at 3400ft and several miles before the summit. The first 6 miles follow an old logging road. But do not be fooled: it's hardly comfortable. It's really steep (I do not know what kind of a vehicle could ever go up this thing) and very rocky. It starts gentle but after about a couple of miles it starts climbing up and doesn't really become any easier until you reach 4000 feet -- at that point the road loses a little bit of elevation as it skirts a valley and then it gently climbs up to reach a pass at 4200 ft. This is where the road ends. From there on, you need to follow the ridge east. The path (which we couldn't see because of the snow) starts really steep but after the first little summit it becomes a little more gentle. As you approach the real summit, bear a little right (south) and ascend the summit from that side because it is least steep.

[A spectacular view of nearby mountains opened up at around 3,800 ft]

The Manning and Spring book advertises good views at 3200 feet but we didn't really get any clear view until about 3800 ft. It seems that the young forest---growing in the place of the trees cut down in 1960's---has grown significantly taller in recent years and for most of the way one only catches glimpses of the surrounding mountains through the tangle of branches.

But at 3800 ft, the view really opens up and one gets to see Mt. Si with its Haystack, Mt. Rainier in the distance, and lots of other nearby mountains. We were lucky enough to hike on a day with low cloud cover so we were spared the uninspiring view of I-90 though we could still hear its faint roar coming from below.

[View of Mt. Si from the top of Mt. Teneriffe]

From the summit one gets a full 360 degrees view and the sight of Mt. Si below makes it clear just how much taller Teneriffe is.

Driving directions
To get there from Seattle, take I-90 East to North Bend (about 30 miles from Seattle). Get off the highway on 436th Ave SE, going North into the town. When you cannot go straight any further, turn left on SE North Bend Way and shortly after turn right onto SE Mt.Si Road. Follow it for about 3 miles (after 2 miles you will pass the parking lot for the Mt. Si trail head). Eventually you will reach a school bus turn-around point on your right. The trail head for Teneriffe will be on your left: it is a small informal parking lot (big enough to accommodate perhaps a dozen cars) at an entrance to what seems like a permanently-barred former logging road. The map below may be helpful for getting customized directions.

View Larger Map

Resources
This hike is also described in Manning and Spring's 55 Hikes Around Snoqualmie Pass:

Wallace Falls and Wallace Lake loop hike (early season)

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:10:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: 1 hour
Hiking distance: 8.5 miles (13.7 km)
Elevation gain: 1300 ft (400 m)
Green Trails Map: 142 (also request a map from the rangers at the trail head)
Driving map: try this google map
Permits: No permits or fees requires for a day hike.
Ranger station phone number: 360-793-0420

Wallace Falls is a very popular destination. Unfortunately, many visitors stop at Lower Falls, less than a mile in. Granted, there is a picnic shelter there, but the best views are from the Middle Falls lookout. In general this is an easy hike and we enjoyed it as an early season warm-up before other hikes become accessible.

Unlike most visitors, we made it into a loop hike. We started by following the woody trail to the Upper Falls. At the beginning the trail was very crowded but past Middle Falls we had it almost entirely to ourselves. From upper falls we followed blue signs up hill toward a logging road -- it is a steep but brief climb with no trail visible but the blue markers on the trees are easy to follow. We followed the road West for about 2 miles and eventually turned off toward Wallace Lake. Clear signs are posted at all important intersections so route finding was no problem at all (though it was helpful to get a map from the rangers at the trail head). Interestingly, half way from the Upper Falls to the lake we ran into snow and had to walk on it till just past the lake. The picnic tables near the lake were under a couple of feet of snow so we lunched on the floating driftwood on the lake (careful, some of it really is floating and will not support your weight!). Then we followed the recently completed Greg Ball trail (thank you WTA volunteers!), which joins the main trail just below the Lower Falls. From there we returned to the parking lot. The whole thing took us under 5 hours including a leisurely lunch.

[Middle and Lower Falls as seen from the Lower Falls lookout]

[Some words of wisdom from the park service]

Driving Directions:
Drive to Gold Bar, WA (on Rt. 2) and from there follow the signs to Wallace Falls State Park. The route is very clearly marked.

Rock Mountain (via Snowy Creek)

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 06:44:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: 2.5 hours
Hiking distance (both ways): 9 miles (14.5 km)
Elevation gain: 3400 ft (1000 m)
Green Trails Map: 145
Driving map: try this google map
Permits:There are still signs saying that NW Forest passes are required but neither the trail nor the trail head (nor the signs) seem to be maintained so maybe the signs are just left over from the olden days.
Resources: 100 Hikes in Washington's Glacier Peak Region: The North Cascades by Spring and Manning (I really like the table they have at the front of the book listing the basic stats of each of the hikes)

This is beautiful hike leading to great views. The first 2 miles are pretty flat and go through an old growth forest. Eventually one reaches a wide flat meadow. The trail may get hard to find there -- it continues again on the left edge of the meadow and goes back among the trees. Right after leaving the meadow, the trails becomes steep in earnest. Eventually one leaves the trees and continues in the open until a pass, right below Rock Mountain. From there it is just a short hike along the ridge to the peak, where the foundations of an old lookout are still visible. All the major peaks are visible from Rock Mountain in good weather.

View from the top of Rock Mountain

Some parts of the trail along the first 2 miles were really badly overgrown. It made us wander a little if we were on the right track.

We did this hike in early August. When we started, it was warm and still with sporadic cumuli offering a little bit of shade. The downside of it being still was that we were bothered by swarms of black flies and some mosquitoes, which kept conspiring to deprive us of a proper lunch break. Even at the top there was no breeze to speak of so the flying menace kept following us. On our way back, we got caught in a light rain -- the cloud looked like it would pass quickly. Instead, the light rain turned into heavy rain, which turned into thunder storm. Some 10 minutes before we reached the car it started hailing!

Driving Directions:
From Seattle, drive on Rt.2 4 miles past Stevens Pass. Turn left onto Smith Brook Road (forest road 6700). After 5 miles on road 6700, get onto road number 6705 (the junction will be at a switch back so you will actually end up driging straight). From there, it is 3.6 miles to the trail head. The signs along the entire road are extremely faint and almost impossible to read -- use your odometer!

Goat Flats from Tupso Pass

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 06:51:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: 2 hours
Hiking distance (both ways): 10 miles (16km)
Elevation gain: 2,000ft (600m)
Green Trails Map: 109 and 110
No permit appears to be necessary to park at the trailhead at this time

We did this hike in early July when there was still plenty of snow. The snow was soft and slushy and the trail was muddy in many places but the hike was pleasant nonetheless and no technical gear (besides sturdy boots) was necessary.

The first 2/3 of the hike goes through an old growth forest; in the lower parts there are plenty of enormous old cedars. Later the trail weaves between the forest and small charming meadows and finally enters the Goat Flats -- a flat grassy area with some tiny lakes and stunning views of the Three Fingers but also North Cascades and the Olympics! We had a beautifully clear view of Mt. Baker and a surreal view of other mountains with each subsequent range drawn in paler and paler blue until they would become just faint outlines against a mostly cloudless blue sky.

[Snow is already melting on the meadows on the way to Goat Flats]

Some people continue on to the lookout point at one of the Three Fingers peaks. the trip requires a simple traverse of the Quest-Alb Glacier. Given slippery snow and lack of sufficient equipement (the glacier traverse looked somewhat steep in places so an ice axe would be an advisable safety precaution) we decided to just hike up the first of the few knolls towering over the Flats. From there we a very nice view of Big Bear and Liberty Mountains opened up before us.

This hike had some of the best views of all the hikes I've been on. Given the small (2000ft) elevation gain, this should be a great weekend destination once the snow melts.

[Three Fingers (left) and Goat Flasts (right)]

[Big Bear Mountain as seen from the knoll just beyond Goat Flats]

[Goat Flats as seen from above]

Driving Directions:
Drive through the town of Granite Falls and take a left onto Mountain Loop Highway. Look at your odometer -- in about 7 miles after this turn, you will bear left onto a paved road. Contrary to what my hiking book says, the intersection is unmarked (all you see from the Highway are a couple of private lanes branching off). Right after you turn onto this road, you will see a sign announcing that you are on Road #41 to Tupso Pass. Very soon the pavement will end and the road will split: take the left fork. The road will split a couple more times but one of the branches will always be clearly more travelled by -- stick with the crowds. After about 11 miles you will pass the Meadow Trail trailhead. After a total of about 17 miles the road will widen a little and you will see the sign for the Goat Flats trail on left-hand side of the road.

Hidden Lake Lookout (early season, snow)

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 18:33:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: 2.5 - 3 hours
Hiking distance (both ways): 9 miles (14.5km)
Elevation gain: 2,900ft (885m) to the pass + 300ft (100m) to the lookout
Green Trails Map: 48 and 80
Permit required for overnight camping but currently no pass is required to park at the trailhead

I was really looking forward to doing this hike for a long while now and I was too impatient to wait till mid-July, by which time all show should melt. I grabbed my ice axe, yaktrax and set out expecting some snow. I found lots.

The trail starts as a steep switchback through a forest. After about half an hour the trail left the trees and entered a snow-filled gully. From that moment on, the rest of the trip was on wet slippery snow. The trail apparently eventually crosses the gully and zig-zags along the opposite slope but I didn't notice that until I was ready to leave the gully and start the traverse.

[The peak with the Hidden Lake Lookout as seen from the trail]

The traverse was somewhat frustrating in that I couldn't see how far I still had to go -- only at almost the very last minute, upon going over a rib, did my destination became visible: a sharp tall rock with a building on top (above).

[Hidden Lake as seen from the pass by the Lookout]

Quite soon after spotting the Lookout, I got to the pass at its foot, from where I got a very nice view of the still frozen Hidden Lake (above).

[The peak with the Hidden Lake Lookout as seen from the pass; here the East ridge (left) is covered in snow]

The Lookout was right above me (see the picture above). Large cornices had formed along the East ridge and given how soft the snow was, I didn't feel like scrambling to the top.

It took me 3 hours to get to the pass but only 1 hour and 10 minutes on the way down -- this time slippery snow was of some use. Glissading in the gully was fun but nothing compared to Mt. Adams.

Driving Directions:
Take Rt. 20 to Marblemount (there is a ranger station there if you need to get a camping permit). From there take the Cascade River road -- I didn't see any conspicuous signs for it but it's hard to miss: if you are coming from the West, Rt. 20 will take a sharp left turn at some point in Marlbemount; instead of taking this turn, continue on the road straght that goes over a metal bridge. Continue along that road for nearly 10 miles until you see a steep turnout on the left (the first major dirt road on the left) and a sign pointing to the Hidden Lake Peaks trail. you need to take this steep narrow windy road for nearly 5 miles to the parking lot.

If you are returning West on Rt. 2, then after the hike stop at the Cascadian Farm stand (see the picture) half way between Marblemount and Rockport -- they have fruit, ice cream, espresso and lots of other tasty goodies. They also have benches and tables outside making it a perfect spot for post-hike relaxation!

Resources
This is one of Spring & Manning's "100 Classic Hikes in Washington":

Lake Serene

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 06:30:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: ~1.5 hours (depending on traffic)
Hiking distance (both ways): around 7.2 miles (11.5km)
Elevation gain: 2,000ft (610m)
Green Trails Map: 142
You need the NW Forest Pass to park at the trailhead

[Lake Serene]

This is a very nice early season hike: it is low enough to be totally snow-free while many of the upper hikes are still plagued with melting slush. Also, while the hike turns into a busy highway later in the season, at this time of the year the traffic is still manageable and you can get a spot at the Lunch Rock for great views of Lake Serene and Mt. Index ominously towering over the lake.

I'd rate the hike as easy to moderate; the first mile and a half follows an old road and it climbs up at a steady but rather gnetle angle. Then you come to the cross roads: you can go to the waterfalls (just half a mile) or continue towards Lake Serene (2 miles). The hike to the lake starts getting slightly more exciting after the split: first you cross Bridal Veils right under the waterfall (first over the bridge and then by boulder hopping). Very pleasant. Then the trail turns steep for a while as you follow a series of switchbacks. Higher up you cross a few meadows with nice views of the valley below and eventually you reach the lake! Make sure to follow the trail all the way to the Lunch Rock (you will know it when you've reached it) even though the initial views are quite nice. The lake is still partially frozen and there is plenty of snow on the slopes around. When we were there, the lake was perfectly still and the surrounding mountains reflected nearly perfectly in the water.

[Bridal Veils Falls]

You needn't be worried if you can make this hike: the two times I went there, I saw both young children and retired ladies making it to the top in pretty good spirit. It took us 2hrs on the way up and 1.5hrs on the way down. There is some mud on the trail so sturdy shoes (hiking boots, if possible) are a good idea.

Driving directions
This hike is accessible from Rt 2. Coming from Seattle, turn right immediately after the 35 mile post. Very quickly you will come to a large parking lot. The entire trip is along the Lake Serene Trail (#1068); see also driving directions and other information from the forest service.

P.S. A couple of years ago I wrote up directions to the trailhead and some other practical info at: http://www.gajos.org/travel/serene/.

Resources
The following are very good books that cover the Lake Serene trail and other good hikes in the area:

Mt. Si (winter)

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 06:11:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: usually less than 1 hour
Hiking distance (both ways): around 8 miles (13km)
Elevation gain: 3,400ft (1,050m)
Green Trails Map: partially on 206
You need the NW Forest Pass to park at the trailhead

While this hike has a respectable elevation gain of 3,400ft, it starts rather low so in the winter it is much gentler than other seemingly easier hikes deeper in the mountains. Matt and I hiked Si in the middle of January of 2006 (this was a reasonably snowy winter, unlike the year before) and we did not encounter snow until about 2/3 of the way to the top. Because there was a fair amount of traffic on the trail, the snow was well packed -- it was nice on flatter stretches but on steeper parts the trail was sometimes icy and slippery. Hard rubber boots were helpful for getting decent traction (crampons would have been an overkill though Yaktrax might have been nice).

Clouds were low so we didn't get much of a view from the top (see the picture) but we did have peaceful and relaxing lunch on the snow-covered rocks.

Driving directions: see my earlier post for more detailed practical info.

Resources
The following book is a great starting point for those who are too impatient to wait for the summer to start hiking:

Marmot Pass (overnight)

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 05:42:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: ~2 hours (includes ferry); you can also drive through Olympia in under 3 hrs
Hiking distance (both ways): 10.5 miles (17km)
Elevation gain: 3,500ft (1,100m)
Green Trails Map: 136

[A panorama view from Marmot Pass]

I found this to be a very nice camping destination. For starters, when we went there in late Septembers there were only a couple other hiking groups on the trail. Secondly, most of the trail is very gently graded as it follows the Big Quilcene River so carrying all the camping gear is not too much of a burden. There is a camp site half way to the pass (the Shelter Rock Camp) and another one right at the foot of the final steeper ascent to the pass (at Camp Mystery). Jean and I stayed at the latter. The next morning we took our day packs and climbed up to Marmot Pass. The clouds parted briefly allowing us to take a bunch of pictures but soon descended again. We were originally plnning to hike up another 1,000ft up to Buckhorn Mtn. but with clouds so low it no longer seemed all that attractive -- maybe next time.

Resources
We got the idea for this trip from Spring & Manning's "100 Classic Hikes in Washington" -- a really great book and as of previous edition printed with high quality color photos; the other book is a more specialized resource for those wanting to explore the Olympic Peninsula in more detail:

Mount Forgotten

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Sun, 07 Aug 2005 06:37:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: ~1.5 - 2 hours (depending on traffic)
Hiking distance (both ways): around 11 miles (17.5km)
Elevation gain: 3,900ft (1,190m)
Green Trails Map: 111
You need the NW Forest Pass to park at the trailhead

The hike has three parts: after the first 2 miles (and 1100ft up), we arrived at the falls at Perry Creek. Spectacular if you bother to look down but easy to miss if you are on a mission. The next two miles took us another 1800ft up along pretty steep switchback. The trail ends at the meadows offering a great view of the eastern side of Mt. Forgotten as well as many other surrounding mountains. Before the meadows, however, there is a spectacular lookout point which offered us a very clear view of Mt. Baker, as well as the west side of Mt. Forgotten. Having filled our eyes and bellies, we decided to press on. The next stage was 1.5 miles along an unmaintained climbers trail to the north face of Forgotten. The trail starts by plunging down several hundred feet and then continues, narrow and overgrown, along the west side of the mountain, crossing a few scree areas. An hour or so later we arrived at the end of that trail and looked up a steep gully filled loose rocks. That's where we had to scramble up to get to the top. Seven of us did so and we found ourselves crowded on top of a rock not really the size of a needle point but not much bigger either. There we signed our names in the climber register and studied the mountain goat register that must have been added there quite recently. We were pleased to discover, that the register will one day be deposited in the University of Washington Archives, giving us a chance to show off in front of our grand children, if we ever have any.

[Mt. Forgotten as seen from the meadows]

The trip back was uneventful though it made us realize how steep the trail was to begin with. We completed the hike, which totaled 11 miles and 4000ft of vertical gain, in slightly less than 8 hours and made it back to Seattle in time to take a shower and then reconvene at Siam in Capitol Hill for some good food and drinks.

For the benefit of future hikers: the hike just to the meadows (Trail #711) is in itself a worthy and challenging enterprise (8 miles round trip, 3000ft vertical gain, and fantastic views). The scramble to the top of Mt. Forgotten is safe if you roughly know what you are doing, and potentially dangerous if you do not.

Driving directions
To get there, follow the Mountain Loop Highway from Granite Falls several miles past Silverton. Turn left on forest road 4063 and go for about a mile and park at the end of it. If you are still on the Mountain Loop Highway and you see the parking lot for Mt. Dickerman, you've gone about a mile too far.

Resources
The following is a very good book that covers the approach to Mt. Forgotten and other good hikes and climbs off the main trails in the area:

Little Giant Pass

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Mon, 25 Jul 2005 05:18:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: 3 hours
Hiking distance (both ways): 9.5 miles (15km)
Elevation gain: 4,200ft (1,250m)
Green Trails Map: 113
Permits: NW Forest Pass required to park at the trailhead

In terms of sheer views, this is one of my favorite hikes--the view of the Napequa Valley and Glacier Peak from the pass is stunningly beautiful:

[Napequa Valley as seen from the Little Giant Pass]

The hike starts with a fording of the Chiwawa River. When I did the hike, in late July, the water was less than knee-deep but at other times of the year it can be much worse. Some people choose to bring a pair of sandals and leave them tucked away on the other side of the river waiting for the return trip. There may be times when crossing Chiwawa is not a comfortable (or safe!) proposition but the good news is that you will know it right at the beginning, giving you an option of doing a different hike in the area instead.

The hike first goes through a forest, which eventually opens up to expansive meadows. When I did the hike, the place was full of flies, and I couldn't comfortably stop until I reached the pass--the light breeze over there kept the flies away and allowed for a pleasant lunch.

On the way down I came across a deer. We stared at each other for a little while before it trotted away into the forest.

Driving Directions:

Take Rt.2 between Stevens Pass and Leavenworth. Turn north onto Lake Wenatchee Road (county road 207). Go for about 4.5 miles and after you cross the bridge over Wenatchee River, continue straight onto Chiwawa Loop Road (county road 22). After about 1.5 miles, take a left onto Chiwawa River Rd (National Forest Rd 62) and follow it for about 19 miles until you reach the trailhead. You can use the map below to get Google's driving directions but beware that once you get on the maze of small roads, you are better off with the brief narrative included here.

View Larger Map

Resources
This is one of Spring & Manning's "100 Classic Hikes in Washington" and it is also described in their "100 Hikes in Washington's Glacier Peak Region":

Mt. Si

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Mon, 25 Apr 2005 06:55:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: usually less than 1 hour
Hiking distance (both ways): around 8 miles (13km)
Elevation gain: 3,400ft (1,050m)
Green Trails Map: partially on 206
You need the NW Forest Pass to park at the trailhead

Mount Si is probably the closest "serious" hike from Seattle so it gets very crowded on weekends during the main hiking season. Still, if you only have a few hours, this is definitely better than nothing. The trail is very pleasant: quite wide and well maintained and entirely in a forest shielding you from sun. And the 3,400ft elevation gain means that you won't get bored and that you will get pretty good exercise.

[Views from Mt. Si]

Many hikers stop as soon as they reach the open area at the top. At the very least you should gather the last bits of energy and scramble up the rocks for a great view of the valley below and, if you are lucky, of distant Seattle.

[The Haystack]

But you should also try to get up the Haystack (see the picture above). The base is only a few minute hike from where most people have their lunch. Then you need to scramble a couple hundred feet to the top for really nice open views and a little bit of solitude in an otherwise pretty crowded area.

Driving directions: see my earlier post for more detailed practical info.

Mt. Si (at night)

noreply@blogger.com (Krzysztof Gajos) — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 06:22:00 +0000

Quick facts
Driving distance from Seattle: usually less than 1 hour
Hiking distance (both ways): around 8 miles (13km)
Elevation gain: 3,400ft (1,050m)
Green Trails Map: partially on 206
You need the NW Forest Pass to park at the trailhead

Mt. Si, located less than an hour drive from Seattle, just off I-90 highway, is probably one of the most convenient hikes for Seattle residents and thus probably one of the most popular. The trails starts wide and flat, and is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. After a short while, however, it turns narrower and steeper. On nice days the trail is reportedly quite crowded but if you can spare only a little time, this may be a good destination.

This was indeed the case for Stebbi, Lilja and myself when we decided to go for a fast hike after work on Wednesday, July 30. We started the hike after 7pm and we made it to the top around 9, just when the sun was about to set (see the pictures below). Consequently, we were returning in the dark. The trail goes almost entirely through a forest (and mostly on the East side of the mountain) so good lights are required to come down safely after dusk.

Driving directions
To get there from Seattle, take I-90 East to North Bend (about 30 miles from Seattle). Get off the highway on 436th Ave SE (Exit 32), going North into the town. When you cannot go straint any further, turn left on SE North Bend Way and shortly after turn right onto SE Mt.Si Road. Follow it for about 2 miles until you reach the large parking lot at the trail head. The parking lot is designed to hold up to 175 cars, which should give you some idea of the popularity of the hike.

Resources
The following book includes the Mt. Si trail and a number of other hiking destinations in the Snoqualmie Pass area; all within 30-90 minutes away from Seattle by car: