North Cascades National Park, WA
Open larch meadows climb to a remote high-country pass.
Overview
Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
North Cascades Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for North Cascades National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the North Cascades audio tourMore stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
This is a 2.4-mile one-way point-to-point section from the Summit Trail junction just beyond Juanita Lake to a high pass at the North Cascades boundary. It crosses open meadow and larch country before a steeper rise to the pass, where the views open across the surrounding high country. Budget about two hours for this segment. Returning to Juanita Lake the same way makes it 4.8 miles.
The route starts in the Juanita Lake basin and gradually traverses south through meadows, larch stands and some whitebark pine. The grade steepens near the pass. This is a short but high-elevation section, best understood as part of a longer backcountry itinerary; the route beyond the boundary continues into the Lake Chelan–Sawtooth Wilderness.
Juanita Lake has no road access. From Stehekin Landing, the approach via Imus and Purple Creek is about 8 miles with 5,800 feet of gain. The alternative War Creek Trail approach from Twisp River Road is 9.3 miles with 3,600 feet of gain. Those are separate approach miles, not part of this 2.4-mile segment. Overnight camping at the lake requires a limited backcountry permit, and campfires are not allowed.
Wildlife
101 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
70 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
20 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
77 sightingsSooty GrouseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
23 sightingsWhite-tailed PtarmiganMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
75 sightingsWestern ToadMost seen around 8 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across North Cascades. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingPurple Creek Trail16 mi · 12 hr · 3.2 mi awayA punishing climb to a tucked-away larch basin.
ModerateLakeshore Trail17.2 mi · 9 hr · 3.2 mi awayThe long Lake Chelan traverse ends at Prince Creek.ChallengingPurple Pass / Boulder Creek Loop22.4 mi · 18 hr · 3.3 mi awayA hard climb to Purple Pass, then a long Boulder Creek descent.
ChallengingDevore Creek Trail15 mi · 13 hr · 4.2 mi awayA steep backcountry route from Weaver Point into Ten Mile Basin.
ModerateRainbow Loop Trail4.4 mi · 3.5 hr · 4.9 mi awayA 4.4-mile traverse for Lake Chelan and Stehekin Valley views.
ChallengingBoulder Creek Trail11.2 mi · 10.5 hr · 4.9 mi awayAn 11-mile one-way climb from Stehekin into high country.
ChallengingRainbow Creek Trail9.7 mi · 9 hr · 4.9 mi awayA hard climb into open meadows above Lake Chelan
EasyBuckner Orchard Walk0.6 mi · 1 hr · 5.3 mi awayA shady ditch-side path opens onto a working historic orchard.
Campground · 3.2 mi awayLakeview CampgroundA nine-site walk-in camp, five minutes from the landing.
Campground · 3.2 mi awayPurple Point CampgroundSix walk-in tent sites, a short walk from Stehekin Landing.
Visitor center · 3.3 mi awayGolden West Visitor CenterStehekin's visitor center sits inside a historic lodge.
Picnic area · 3.3 mi awayLakeview Point and Picnic AreaA picnic-table view into Stehekin’s glacier-carved valley.
Lodging · 3.3 mi awayNorth Cascades Lodge at StehekinA lakeside Stehekin base reached by ferry, boat, or a long hike.
Sight · 3.3 mi awayStehekin LandingThe ferry dock is the doorway to a roadless valley.
Campground · 3.9 mi awayFlick Creek CampgroundA boat-in camp with a big shelter on Lake Chelan.
Campground · 4.1 mi awayWeaver Point CampgroundA boat-in Lake Chelan camp with a 3.5-mile trail approach.Parkwolf’s North Cascades ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
