Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

Snoqualmie Ranger District

District at a Glance

Craggy peaks, alpine lakes, dense forests, and plunging waterfalls lure hikers, campers, and sightseers to the Snoqualmie Ranger District. Encompassing over 300,000 acres of the central Cascade Mountains, the district offers many recreational opportunities within an hour's drive of the Seattle/Tacoma metropolitan area. A Forest map is your first essential, useful in sorting out the checkerboard pattern of public and private land ownership.

Unique and Special Places

Mather Memorial Parkway

Created in 1931, this paved two-lane classic Cascades drive along Highway 410, from Enumclaw to the eastern edge of Mount Rainier National Park, presents majestic views of Mount Rainier and surrounding peaks. Over two hundred miles of trails accommodate hikers, horses, and mountain bikes. Drive, hike, or ride to the Suntop Lookout Cabin at the top of Forest Road 7315. Choose a primitive campsite along Forest roads both east and west of the Parkway. In November, buy a permit at the Enumclaw office, and take the family out to the woods to cut your own Christmas tree. Most Forest roads are unpaved and minimally maintained. Cell phones have limited coverage in the mountains. To keep your adventure from turning into a disaster, carry the "Ten Essentials" with you for survival.

Mountains to Sound Greenway

Drive Interstate 90 east from Seattle to Snoqualmie Pass, stopping along the way to fish for trout in the Snoqualmie River, or meander along the Asahel Curtis Nature Trail, a one-mile walk through stately old-growth fir and cedar. Leave the freeway at milepost 47 and drive the Denny Creek Road, following the historic wagon route used by early settlers to cross Snoqualmie Pass. Fourteen trailheads access more than a hundred miles of trails ranging in difficulty from "almost easy" to "punishing." Hike to scenic ridge tops or peaceful mountain lakes.

Allow time to walk along the Gold Creek Pond Interpretive Trail, where mountains are often reflected in the pond, providing great photo opportunities.

The Wilderness Experience

Snoqualmie Ranger District is responsible for the stewardship and preservation of the Clearwater Wilderness, and portions of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and the Norse Peak Wilderness. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy this wild landscape, while preserving its integrity and beauty for future generations. In addition to the Northwest Forest Pass required for parking at all trailheads, you will need to fill out a permit from the box at the beginning of each trail that enters the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Trails are generally free of snow from July through October. Day hikes near Snoqualmie Pass are crowded, especially on a sunny weekend. If you crave solitude, travel on a rainy midweek day. Be prepared for all kinds of weather, camp in designated sites where possible, and boil or filter your water before drinking.