Hike and Bike: Central Cascades
Lucky us: We live near some of the best hiking and mountain biking trails in the Pacific Northwest. Want to break a sweat? Take a stroll before lunch? There’s a trail for that.
Edited by Laura DannenBy Hayley Poole and Craig RomanoWith contribution from Kasey Cordell, Judy Naegeli, Erin Reading , and Courtney Nash
Spider Meadow
MODERATE In the early twentieth century, this sprawling valley was overrun by prospectors searching for the mother lode. Nowadays, scores of hikers and backpackers cash in on Spider’s priceless scenery instead: old-growth forests, glacier-fed Phelps Creek, and a mile-long carpet of wildflowers surrounded by towering jagged peaks. The trail to the meadow is gentle—ascending a mere 1,300 feet in five miles—and once you’ve arrived, there are plenty of fine lunch spots along the creek. After a bite, consider pushing on one mile farther to Phelps Basin, a quiet cirque that’s perfect for an afternoon nap. —CR
Round Trip 10 miles. Duration 5 hours. Distance from Downtown 130 miles. Permits and Passes Northwest Forest Pass. Map Green Trails no. 113 Holden. Find it.
Carne Mountain
DIFFICULT The mountain, named after an English clergyman rather than Spanish meat (it’s “carn,” not “carnay”), offers panoramic views of the region—it just takes some commitment to get there. To reach the summit, hikers must overcome a steep set of seemingly endless switchbacks for an elevation gain of 3,600 feet (ouch). If you panic at the trailhead, you can always reroute to Spider Meadow. But hang on and, three miles farther, there’s a grove of larches that turn golden in the fall. Even the final ascent is softened by lupine, scarlet gilia, phlox, and asters lining the path. Once atop the 7,085-foot peak, face the four horizons and take it all in: the glistening ice of cloud-piercing Clark Mountain to the west; the fortress of Mount Stuart, king of the Enchantments; and to the north, Mount Maude, mighty matron of the Entiat Range. It’s practically a religious experience. —CR
Round Trip 8 miles. Duration 6 hours. Distance from Downtown 130 miles. Permits and Passes Northwest Forest Pass. Map Green Trails no. 113 Holden. Find it.
Photo:
Courtesy Jocelyn Lykken
Denny Creek
EASY You don’t have to go far off I-90 to find free fun in the summer: Denny Creek rushes down a smooth granite slab, creating a natural water slide with a shallow pool below. Bring the kids and the swimsuits, trek a mile and a half to the slide, then wander another half mile for photo ops in front of Keekwulee Falls and the smaller Snowshoe Falls. —LD
Round Trip 4 miles. Duration 2 hours to all day. Distance from Downtown 50 miles. Permits
and Passes None. Map Green Trails no. 207
Snoqualmie Pass. Find it.
Talapus and Olallie Lakes
EASY Kids will love everything about this winding trek through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. You get to cross bridges and raised walkways, tromp through boggy sections of trail, and mingle with deer at the water’s edge. The snow-fed lakes are both frigid, but should be swimmable by mid-August. Expect company. —LD
Round Trip 4–6 miles.
Duration 2–3 hours. Distance from Downtown 50 miles. Permits and Passes Northwest Forest Pass. Map Green Trails no. 206 Bandera. Find it.
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