Park Butte Trail #603
| Trail Uses |    |
Length | 3.5 miles one-way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season of Use | Summer/Fall | Beginning Elevation | 3300 feet |
| Visitor Use | Extra Heavy | Elevation Gain/Loss | +2200 feet |
| Map(s) | Green Trails: Hamilton #45 USGS: Baker Pass |
Level of Difficulty | More Difficult |
Trailhead Access:
From the Mount Baker Ranger District office in Sedro-Woolley, follow State Route 20 east for 16 miles to milepost 82. Turn left (north) on the Baker Lake Highway (Forest Service Road #11). At 12 miles, turn left on Forest Service Road #12. Travel 3.6 miles to the junction of Forest Service Road #13. Stay to right and follow Road #13 for 5.3 miles. The trailhead is located at the end of Road #13. Overnight campsites are available at the trailhead for hikers and stock. A toilet, a loading ramp and hitching rails are located at the parking area. Passenger vehicles are prohibited from parking in the stock vehicle parking area from August 1 - October 31.
Description, Attractions & Considerations:
There are incredible views of majestic Mt. Baker and its glaciers throughout the length of this trail. The trail receives extremely heavy use in the summer and fall; come for the scenery not the solitude.
The trail starts in the Mount Baker National Recreation Area. Beginning in lush Schriebers Meadow, the Scott Paul Trail junction about 100 feet down the trail on the right; and the Park Butte Trail enters the Mt. Baker Wilderness just prior to its termination at the Park Butte Lookout. Beginning in lush Schriebers Meadow, it wanders through waist high huckleberries (perfect for fall gathering), heather, and small ponds.
The trail then crosses Rocky Creek. This creek is unbridged and crossing can be challenging during periods of heavy runoff.
After the first mile, the trail climbs and switchbacks through forest, reaching a junction with Scott Paul Trail #603.1. Stay left at the junction to continue along Park Butte Trail to Morovitz Meadows. The expansive views offered at the open meadows make this a popular rest spot.
There are two more trail junctions located in the next section of trail. At the first junction stay go left for the Park Butte Lookout. The fork to the right leads to the Railroad Grade Trail #603.2 and to designated camp sites (7 sites within half-mile and 4 sites at High Camp at 1.5 miles). Three designated hiker camps are located at Cathedral Camp near the junction of Park Butte Trail and Bell Pass trails.
At the second junction that is encountered, stay left for Park Butte. This second fork heading west leads to Mazama Park and the Bell Pass Trail where established campsites are available for stock and hikers. The trail levels out some and passes above picturesque Pocket Lake on the left.
The last half-mile of the trail climbs steeply to the lookout (elevation 5400 feet) and enters the Mt. Baker Wilderness. From the lookout, parties climbing Mt. Baker can be viewed as small, dark figures on the ice and snow. The Twin Sisters range, Glacier Peak, and Mt. Rainier are a few of the many grand peaks that fill the horizon from the lookout.
A volunteer group maintains the lookout. Please respect the building and its contents. Carry drinking water, as none is available at the lookout. Lookout available on a first-come-first–serve basis. Toilet available near lookout. Those persons entering the Mt. Baker Wilderness from the recreation area must adhere to wilderness regulations, including limiting party size to 12. The Park Butte lookout is located just inside the wilderness boundary.
The trail is open to stock from August 1 to November 1and open to llamas all year long. Hitching posts are located below the lookout.
Mt. Baker National Recreation Area is open to snowmobile use when snow depth at the trailhead is at least 24 inches. Depending on snow pack, snowmobile use usually starts in December and closes sometime in June.
A Northwest Forest Pass is required for each vehicle parked at the trailhead.
Use of other motorized vehicles and bicycles is not permitted. Camping in the National Recreation Area is allowed only in the above-mentioned designated camps. Carry a backcountry stove, as fires are prohibited. Camping or being in an area closed for rehabilitation is prohibited.