North Cascades National Park Service Complex - Trail Conditions (U.S. National Park Service)

Last updated: May 8, 2009

Spring weather has been variable, as usual in the North Cascades. Two weeks of warm dry weather were followed by heavy rains and lots of new snow at higher elevations. Spring wildflowers are sprouting, and low elevation trails are melting out. Some, like the East Bank Trail, are already mostly snowfree, while other trails such as those that begin near Washington Pass are snow-covered from the start. In general, snowpack was lower than normal and spring meltoff looks to be a few weeks ahead of usual--although this varies widely by slope and aspect. Trail crews will be clearing trails, but there is still plenty of blowdown, and the potential for encountering trail damage or bridges that are still out for the season. E-mail us a trail report if you can provide an update.

If you are heading out into the backcountry, check the weather forecast and be prepared for a variety of conditions. Carry extra food and clothing, and leave an itinerary with family or friends. Check the road conditions report for access, including for the Cascade River Road.

Whenever and wherever you travel in the wilderness, please be safe, and “touch the wilderness gently.” Know and practice Leave No Trace camping and hiking.

For complete trip planning information, including: how to obtain the required backcountry permit for overnight stays, where pets are allowed, day and overnight group size limits, information on backcountry camps and more, visit the Wilderness Trip Planner page.

Trail Name	Elevation & Trail Type	Reported Conditions	Last Update
Agnes Gorge (Stehekin)	Trailhead at 1700', trail's end 2000' Hiker only	Expect snows to be melting.	5/8
Baker River Trail	Trailhead at 800', trail's end at 900' Hiker only	Expect mostly snowfree, but large mudslide reported one mile past suspension bridge. Trail rough with roots and rocks, slippery path when wet.	5/8
Big Beaver Trail	Ross Dam trailhead at 2100’. Big Beaver 1600’. Beaver Pass 3654’ Hiker, Stock	Expect snowfree for first 7 miles, then expect to encounter snow . Black bear sightings common; practice proper food storage.	5/8
Boulder Creek (Stehekin)	Trailhead 1200', Purple Pass 6800' Hiker, Stock	Snowy. Between Reynolds and Hooter camps, be careful along cliff-side stretches of trail with loose gravel and standing, burned trees.	5/8
Brush Creek to Whatcom Pass	Whatcom Pass: 5055’ Hiker, Stock	Snow-covered. Rough trail through washout areas near Graybeal. Trail passable for stock in 2008.	5/8
Bullion Loop (Stehekin)	Hiker, Stock	Expect snowfree.	5/8
Cascade Pass / Sahale Arm / Horseshoe Basin	Trailhead 3660’, Cascade Pass 5400’, Sahale Glacier camp 7600’ Hiker only	Snowcovered. Good skiing. Note: For bridge and road repairs, Cascade River Road is closed for season at milepost 20, though hikers may walk additional 3 miles to trailhead. Massive slide at Boston Creek could be difficult to pass as it melts out. Several black bear sightings on Sahale Arm and near Doubtful Lake; practice proper food storage. Basin Creek footlog removed for the season. Basin Creek Camp rebuilt in August 2008 -- now on west side of Basin Creek.	5/8
Company Creek (Stehekin)	Trailhead 1200', leaves park at 2500' Hiker, stock	Expect snow beyond NPS boundary. Footlog at 5 miles washed out; crossing is possible but requires caution, especially at high water levels. Brush is thick from 3 miles on. Rootwad removal at 3 miles has left large holes in the trail tread not passable to stock.	5/8
Copper Ridge	Copper Lookout: 6260’ Hiker only	Snow-covered. Multiple black bear sightings reported; practice proper food storage. Brushy with minor downfall on north end of trail.	5/8
Dagger Lake / Twisp Pass	Fireweed 3900', Dagger Lake 5508', Twisp Pass 6100' Hiker, stock	Snowy. Stock camp has only one usable hitch rail.	5/8
Desolation Peak	Lookout 6608’ Hiker only	Snowy. In summer, trail is very dry, carry plenty of water.	5/8
Devore Creek (Stehekin)	Leaves park at 2000' Hiker only	Expect snow after leaving NPS boundary. Washout at 4 miles (not passable to stock).	5/8
Diablo Lake	1200 – 2000’ Hiker only	Snowfree.	5/8
East Bank / Hozomeen Lake	Trailhead 1800’, Hozomeen Lake (highest pt.) ~2900’ Hiker, stock	Some snow at Hidden Hand Pass on 4/15, remainder of trail melted out. Light downfall on southern and middle, no report for north end.	5/8
Easy Pass / Fisher Creek	Trailhead 3700’, pass 6400’ Hiker only	Snowy. USFS completing boardwalk through wetlands. Logan Creek and another creek between Cosho and Junction camps can be tricky to cross due to washed out footlogs. Brushy conditions down to Thunder Creek.	5/8
Flat Creek (Stehekin)	1700' - 2000' Hiker, stock	Melting out. Very brusy trail in places.	5/8
Fourth of July Pass	Thunder Creek 1200’, 4th of July Pass 3500’ Hiker only	Expect to encounter snow on trail after leaving Thunder Creek Trail.	5/8
Goode Ridge (Stehekin)	Trailhead 2200', ridge 6600' Hiker, stock	Challenging trail with great views. Brushy in places with ~40 downed trees. Last water at spring at ~3300'. Snowy.	5/8
Hannegan Pass / Chilliwack River	Trailhead 3000’, Hannegan Pass 5060’, Canadian border 2000’ Hiker, stock	Snowy. Trail not maintained past Bear Creek Camp. Cable car over Chilliwack River in good condition in 2008. Access via Canada very difficult to impossible due to trail washouts.	5/8
Happy Panther	1700 – 2000’ Hiker, stock	Trail damaged ~1 mile from East Bank Trailhead: a difficult scramble for hikers, impassable for stock. Snowfree.	5/8
Hidden Lake	Trailhead 3700’, Hidden Lake: 5700’ Hiker only	Snow starts on the road.	5/8
Lakeshore Trail (Stehekin)	Elevation 1200' Hiker, stock	Slide before 2 miles not passable to stock; bridge at 4 miles damaged and not passable to stock. Expect lots of downfall and brush in recently burned areas. No recent report, expect snowfree.	5/8
Little Beaver to Whatcom Pass	Ross Lake 1600’, Stillwell ~ 2500’, Whatcom Pass 5200’ Hiker only from Little Beaver to Stillwell, then hiker, stock	Expect snows to be melting, but could encounter brush or high creeks. Be attentive when crossing slippery bridges or footlogs. No bridge at Redoubt Creek, scout for safe ford or logjam crossing. Challenging trail from Twin Rocks to Whatcom Pass due to thick brush, gullies and avalanche debris, though trail crew made some repairs in 2008.	5/8
McAlester Lake / South Pass	Fireweed 3900', McAlester Pass 6000', South Pass 6300' Hiker, stock	Snowy. Much wildlife activiy, practice proper food storage. Bear wire broken at McAlester Lake camps, so plan to hang your food from tree or use canister.	5/8
McGregor Mountain (Stehekin)	Trailhead 1700', Heaton Camp 7000' Hiker, stock	Snow-covered. Note: Reaching summit requires steep rocky scramble, difficult in any season.	5/8
Monogram Lake/Lookout Mountain	Trailhead 1300’, Monogram Lake 4872’ Hiker only	Expect to encounter snow around 2500- 3000 feet. Need route-finding skills. Many black bear sightings reported near lake and meadow; practice proper food storage. Composting toilet closed for the season--please use blue bags and pack out.	5/8
Newhalem Creek	Trailhead 1000’, trail’s end 1800’ Hiker, stock	Unmaintained trail with downed trees and brushy, eroded conditions. Camp at trail's end difficult to find. No report.	5/8
North Fork Bridge Creek	2800' to 4200' Hiker, stock	Ford Grizzly Creek or seek logjam crossing. Only one site at Grizzly Creek Camp in good condition; others flood-damaged. Beyond camp, trail washed out for 300 feet but passable. Gorgeous, rarely seen views in upper valley. Snowy.	5/8
Pacific Crest Trail North (Bridge Creek)	Bridge Creek Trailhead: 4640’ Hiker, stock	Snowy. New footlog over Bridge Creek to Fireweed Camp and McAlester Trail in place in 2008. Maple Creek hiker's bridge removed for the season.	5/8
Pacific Crest Trail South (Old Wagon Trail to Agnes Creek)	1700' - 2300' Hiker	Construction of Agnes Creek Bridge completed; bridge now open for hikers and stock. Expect to encounter snow beyond the NPS boundary.	5/8
Panther Creek	Trailhead 1800’, Panther Camp ~2000’, Fourth of July Pass 3500’ Hiker only	Trail snowfree at start, but expect to encounter snow, especially in avalanche chutes, within 3 miles. Very brushy with rough tread as trail crosses avalanche chutes. Log bridge over Panther Creek has been improved, making crossing easier--but use caution when log is wet.	5/8
Park Creek Pass	Trailhead (Stehekin)2300', Pass 6100' Hiker, stock	Snowy. Footbridge installed at Two Mile Camp for hikers only. Five Mile Stock Camp rebuilt in 2007. (Note: Buckner Camp, as seen on some old maps, no longer exists due to flood damage.)	5/8
Purple Creek/War Creek	Trailhead 1200', Juanita Lake 6800' Hiker, stock	Snowy. Fires not allowed at Juanita Lake--bring stoves to cook.	5/8
Pyramid Lake	Trailhead 1100’, Lake 2600’ Hiker only	Snowfree at start, no report on current snow level or downed trees.	5/8
Rainbow Creek (Stehekin)	McAlester Pass 6000' Hiker, stock	Snowy. Bridge at Rainbow Ford removed for winter.	5/8
Rainbow Lake	Rainbow Lake 4074', Bowan Pass 6200' Hiker, stock	No bridge at South Fork Camp: be prepared to ford Bridge Creek (knee/thigh-deep during summer, higher and impassable when water levels are up) --look up/downstream for shallower ford. Over 100 downed trees between South Fork Camp and Bowan Pass. Snowy.	5/8
Rainbow Loop (Stehekin)	Elevation 1200' to 2200'. Hiker, stock	Expect snows to be melting.	5/8
Sourdough / Pierce Mountain	Trailhead at 900’, Sourdough Camp at 5055’. Lookout is at 5968’ Hiker only	Snowfree at start, expect to encounter snow at around 3000 feet. Pierce Mountain Trail frequently very brushy with downfall.	5/8
Stetattle Creek	Trailhead at 900’ Hiker only	Rockslide at 1/4 mile may be impassable for some hikers; scrambling required. Expect very wild conditions the farther one travels: trail erosion, treefall, and brushy conditions. Expect mostly snowfree.	5/8
Stiletto Spur	4000’ to ~6100’ Hiker, stock	Junction of Stiletto Spur and Copper Pass trails can be confusing: pay close attention for Stiletto Spur turnoff. Along spur trail, numerous treefall and minor stream crossings. Snowy.	5/8
Stehekin River (Stehekin)	1200' Hiker only	Trail access is from the south end of the Stehekin airstrip. Be prepared to get feet wet at high water levels, especially during spring run-off.	5/8
Summit Trail (Stehekin)	Juanita Lake 6800', high point 7440' Hiker, stock	No fires allowed at Juanita Lake camps. Snowy.	5/8
Thornton Lake	Trailhead 3000’, ridge above lake is 5000’, Thornton Lake 4500’ Hiker only	Crossing Thornton Creek at 1.5 miles requires fording or walking on narrow log--difficult at high water levels. Slippery roots and rocks through sections of forest up to ridgeline, then down steeply 1 mile to lake. Reaching camp by lake's outlet requires some scrambling through boulders and a log jam at the lake's outlet. Several black bear sightings reported near lake and camp; practice proper food storage. Snow still on road.	5/8
Thunder Creek	Trailhead 1200’, Junction camp 3100’, Park Creek Pass 6100’ Hiker, stock	Patchy snow and some downed trees to McAllister Camp. Trail crews will be doing some work soon. No report past McAllister, but expect snows before Junction at least. Lower elevation beginning to melt out, but majority still snowy. In Thunder Basin, trail very brushy with some route finding through avalanche debris. Ford at Thunder Basin Stock Camp can be knee-deep in afternoon; narrow log crossing possible with extreme caution. Beyond upper Thunder Basin, brushy to Park Creek Pass.	5/8
Thunder Knob	1200’ to 1875’ Hiker only	Footlogs in place over Colonial Creek. Snowfree.	5/8