Have you been out to see the fall colors yet? I got a chance to see them recently while hiking off of the Mount Baker Highway. I went up with my family and a friend to sample a bunch of hikes in a short period.
Here’s a quick review of what we did, and if you’re headed up there soon, hopefully you’ll find something to your liking. (If you can’t find anything to your liking up there, you’re not trying hard enough.)
Winchester Lookout
This is a short (3.5-4 miles, depending on what source you believe) hike up to a former fire lookout. The lookout is still there, and if you’re lucky enough to get there first, you can even stay the night.
The trail begins at Twin Lakes, a lovely place with primitive campgrounds. My friend and I were entranced by the lakes and want to come back to camp.
The trail’s not long, but is somewhat steep, gaining about 1,300 feet. It seemed a lot longer and steeper to me because I was wrangling a 35-pound 4-year-old.
As the trail climbs, the views get better by the moment, until at the top you have a great view of Baker and mountains reach out all around you.
This trail is absolutely covered in huckleberries, and the bushes were starting to turn a vibrant red. They should really be glowing by now.
To get there: Follow the Mount Baker Highway east. About 13 miles after the Glacier ranger station, turn left on Forest Road 3065. The sign says “Twin Lakes Road.” You’ll notice a large garage just before the turn. Follow the road to the end.
Important note: The road up here is rough, especially the last two miles or so. I had a truck and I was glad for it, although I did see several people had made it up in sedans, so it’s clearly possible.
Yellow Aster Butte and Tomyhoi Lake
Yellow Aster Butte is a classic fall hike in the North Cascades. And, judging by the cars on the road, it’s very popular. It leaves from the same road as Winchester Lookout, but it’s before the road gets particularly bad.
It’s about 7.5 miles and 2,500 feet if you go all the way. We got a late start (we’d explored near Artist Point earlier) and knew we wouldn’t make it the whole way.
This trail starts out steep and stays that way for a long time. Eventually, you reach a junction, right heads up even more toward a pass above Tomyhoi Lake. We hiked far enough to get a glimpse of the lake. We’d love to come back later to go the whole way. If you do that, beware that you lose all the elevation you gained. So you’ll be hiking up a long way on your way back. However, even on a busy day, we didn’t see a single other group on that trail.
After a leisurely snack, we headed back down and wandered the Yellow Aster Butte Trail until we hit our turn-around time. After the junction, it’s flat and easy for a long way. Eventually, though, you would climb a short, steep trail up to the butte.
Check out the photo with the WTA trail description to understand why this trail is really worth visiting in the fall.
While we were there, the leaves were just starting to turn and I’m certain they’re amazing now. The orange berries of the mountain ash and the purple of huckleberries were also striking.
To get there: Same directions as above, but you’ll hit the trailhead a few miles before the end of the road. Parking is along on the side of the road.
Chain Lakes/Artist Point
Chain Lakes offers a number of great options for hikes. We took short walks and let my daughter set the pace. You could explore a long time here. The series of lakes are gorgeous and Mount Shuksan is looming over everything. You can make the trip into a loop if you’d like. WTA has a good description here.
If if only for a moment, be sure to drive to the end of the road to Artist Point. It offers gorgeous views of Shuksan and Baker on clear days.
Also, be certain to stop at Picture Lake, too, for excellent views of Shuksan. If the fall colors are out (they should be) you could get an amazing photo. The lake’s not named that for nothing.
To get there: Couldn’t be simpler. Head east on the Mount Baker Highway until you reach the ski area. You’ll pass Picture Lake, then a few different trailheads. To get to Artist Point, simply follow the road to the end. If the Glacier ranger station is open, stop on your way up to grab a useful map.
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