Go North Cascades - Recreation Guide to Lakes, Rivers, Forests and Mountains
HOME   |   HIGHWAY 20 / NORTH CASCADES HIGHWAY   |   MOUNTAIN LOOP HIGHWAY   |   PACIFIC CREST TRAIL   |   MT. BAKER HIGHWAY   |   HIGHWAY 2 / STEVENS PASS
SHOP   |   HIKING   |   KAYAKING   |   MOTORCYCLE   |   CAMPING   |   ICE / ROCK CLIMBING   |   BIKING   |   HUNTING   |   FISHING   |   SNOW SPORTS   |   CONTACT  |   LINKS

Essential Gear

Find hiking, camping, and general backcountry supplies in our Essential Gear section. Click on Shop

Tools and Resource Information

SNOW REPORT: View listings of Washington State's top areas for Ski / Snowboarding

FOREST SERVICE: Washington State National Parks and Forests and Phone Numbers for Washington State Forest Service and National Parks

INTRODUCTION: Seattle Recreation and the North Cascades



North Cascades Recreation and Trail Guide



North Lake Trail
Mountain Loop Highway
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

To get to North Lake Trail #712.1, drive east along Mountain Loop Highway for 15.0 miles from the Verlot Public Service Center. Turn left (north) onto Coal Lake Road #4060 and continue for 4.8 miles to the trailhead to Independence lake.

A trail pass is required. The best time to travel this trail is during the Summer and into mid-Fall depending on the snow conditions. The distance of the trail is 3.2 miles one way and is set at most difficult.

The North Lake trail begins off the trail of Independence Lake. The trail starts very steep and goes back and forth for 1.0 miles until you reach the ridge. As you continue you will see the north views for 0.5 miles and then come to a second ridge with a gorgeous view of Glacier Peak. There are several other peaks you can see 700 feet below the ridge. Once you are here you can enjoy the views North Lake has to offer or even camp (limited space available) There is also a backcountry restroom.






Find a Hike

Highway 20 Hiking
Mountain Loop Highway Hiking
Mt Baker Highway Hiking
Highway 2 Hiking
GoNorthCascades.com attempts to list hiking trails as we either trek them ourselves, have them recommended by friends or other readers, or read about them through other resources, such as books, news articles, and websites.

The Fly Smith

Photo Gallery
Photo by Tom Hughes, Lake 22 Photo by Tom Hughes, Lake 22 Big Four Ice Caves - Photo by Tom Hughes Mt. Pilchuck - Photo by Tom Hughes Mt. Pilchuck - Photo by Tom Hughes Mt. Pilchuck - Photo by Tom Hughes Mt. Pilchuck - Photo by Tom Hughes Mt. Pilchuck - Photo by Tom Hughes Big Four Ice Caves - Photo by Tom Hughes Big Four Ice Caves - Photo by Tom Hughes

GoNorthCascades.com

All content on this site is either the property of GoNorthCascades.com or belongs to one of our readers who has submitted either a trail review, article, or photo. For reprint requests, contact either the reader who has provided the content or use our contact form to contact one of our staff.
Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved.