Heather-Maple Pass Loop Hike

Wandering Washingtonian
Dec 19, 2018
2 min read

Updated: Apr 25, 2020

Trail Details

This is a one of our favorite fall hikes in the State of Washington. You will find this trail brings its A game from the get go. We recommend to traverse it in a counterclockwise direction which we believe has best overall views.

This hike is great in the summer, but really shines when fall arrives and the larches start turning color. Despite the big crowds it lives up to its lofty reputation.

This trail starts from a large parking lot that often overflows onto the highway on the weekends. Roughly a mile into the trail there is a spur trail to Lake Ann which is a quick turnoff which only takes 0.6 miles roundtrip and is a worthwhile trip.

From there the big views begin and they are amazing. As you traverse above Lake Ann you will come across a turnoff to Heather Pass to your right. This is an amazing side trail that can take you to Lewis Lake, Wing Lake and Black Peak. This trail is a stunner but adds quite a bit of distance and includes a rather long rock field to cross. We choose to go to Lewis Lake as part of our day hike which was well worth it and added about three miles round trip. Make sure you leave with plenty of time as this section is time consuming.

The ridgeline above Heather Pass is full of wildflowers in the summer and larches in the fall. As you make your way above the ridgeline you will come to the boundary of North Cascades National Park. Keep an eye out for bears in this section and in the slopes below as they are not infrequent visitors. Eventually you will start your slow descent with good views for most of the way.

Why choose this hike