Loneman Lookout Trail

Loneman Lookout Trail is a remote out-and-back from Nyack Crossing to the fire lookout on Loneman Mountain. Plan on about 14.8 miles round trip and 3,900 feet of climbing, and budget around nine hours. Published distances vary by a few tenths; the longer figure includes the Boundary Trail approach from the Middle Fork crossing. This is a hard day for hikers comfortable with sustained climbing and serious river fords. The lookout and its rarely seen panorama are the payoff. Ask park staff where the current Middle Fork ford is and whether conditions make it passable before deciding to go.

The route starts at Nyack Crossing off U.S. 2. After the Middle Fork ford, look for the trail sign and follow the Boundary Trail. Around 0.6 mile in, the path passes the Nyack Cabin and barn, remnants of the Nyack Ranger Station Historic District; the cabin dates to 1928 and the barn to 1935. At roughly mile 1.3, ford Nyack Creek and climb its steep bank. Keep left at the nearby junction, then watch for the Loneman branch around mile 2: it climbs uphill to the right and may be unsigned. Miss it and the Boundary Trail continues toward West Glacier.

The Loneman branch climbs through an old burn where a few mature larches stand among young larch and lodgepole pine, with remnants of older trees. It reaches a relatively level shelf with the lookout visible ahead, then the sustained climb begins. Switchbacks ease the west-slope ascent, but the trail gains about 3,100 feet in less than five miles; the shelf is only a short breather.

The trail crosses a ridge to Loneman Mountain’s south slope, where Nyack Creek Valley, Threetops, Threesuns and Mount Stimson open below; Mount Saint Nicholas is farther south. It then wraps around the north slope just under the summit for views toward Harrison Lake, Mount Jackson and a sliver of Harrison Glacier. At the top, look south toward Great Northern Mountain and Stanton Glacier and east into the Nyack basin. The lookout deck is for the resident’s use; ask before climbing its outside stairs. For a photo, keep the dark lookout in the foreground with the ridgelines behind it.