Marten Creek Trail #713
| Trail Uses |  |
Length | 3.0 miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season of Use | Summer / Fall | Beginning Elevation | 1400 feet |
| Visitor Use | Low | Ending Elevation | 2800 feet |
| Map(s) | Green Trails: Sloan Peak #111 | Level of Difficulty | Most Difficult |
Access:
From the Verlot Public Service Center (11 miles east of Granite Falls), travel east on the Mountain Loop Highway 9.6 miles to the trailhead at Marten Creek.
Attractions & Considerations:
This route once served the Marten Creek Mines and extended over Granite Pass to Darrington. The first mile of trail is an old road established in the 1940's for mine access. It climbs steeply as it passes an experimental tree plantation established in 1915 after a major fire. These tree seedlings were taken from various locations and elevations to compare success of growth over the years.
The trail enters the Boulder River Wilderness at the 0.2 mile point. After the first mile, the trail levels out and emerges into a large brushy basin. At 2.5 miles it crosses Marten Creek and continues for 0.8 mile to the site of an old mine. At this point, the trail disappears in the brush and access to Granite Pass becomes a matter of cross-country travel. There is a good campsite located in the brush prior to the Marten Creek crossing. This trail provides good opportunities for solitude in a lowland forest.
A Northwest Forest Pass is required at the trailhead.