#5 of 88 trails in North Cascades
North Cascades National Park, WA
Ridge meadows, river fords, and a cable car on one big loop.
Overview
Copper Ridge / Chilliwack River Loop is about a 34-mile wilderness circuit from Hannegan Pass Trailhead. It climbs over Hannegan Pass, follows the open Copper Ridge meadows, drops into the Chilliwack River valley, then climbs back to Boundary Camp and retraces the shared approach to the same trailhead. The National Park Service lists 33.5 miles; other route descriptions put it close to 34, so plan on roughly 34 miles. Most backpackers take two or three nights. Choose it for the dramatic change from high, sunny ridge to remote river forest, and go only if you're comfortable with steep climbs, rough tread, crossings, and carrying an overnight load. Hannegan Pass itself is a much shorter out-and-back, but it doesn't include the ridge and river loop.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?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 tour“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
The first 4.2 miles climb steadily through silver fir and avalanche clearings to Hannegan Pass, where Ruth Mountain fills the view. From there, the trail drops quickly to Boundary Camp at about mile 5.1, just inside the park, where the two sides of the loop divide. Follow the clockwise route up Copper Ridge. The climb steepens and the trail narrows; it can be brushy. Silesia Camp is at mile 8.1, with the Egg Lake junction just beyond. After the snow melts, Silesia has no water. Egg Lake is a short descent from the junction and the best refill before the ridge.
The ridge gives you several miles of open subalpine meadow and long views across the North Cascades. Copper Mountain Lookout sits near mile 9.9 at about 6,260 feet. The structure is a landmark, but the real reward is the wide view; at the lookout, put the wildflower meadow in the foreground so the ridgeline doesn't disappear into a wall of peaks. Stay on the main tread. The ground around Egg and Copper Lakes is fragile and recovering from past overuse, so netting and stakes mark areas to leave alone. This stretch is hot and dry in summer: water is scarce between Boundary Camp and Egg Lake, and there's no reliable source for several miles after Copper Lake until the river.
Past Copper Lake, the trail loses about 2,400 feet in five miles on a steep descent to the braided Chilliwack River. The first river crossing is a ford, followed by a ford of Indian Creek; flagged tread and cairns help you find the way through the channels. Treat high water as a serious obstacle. Indian Creek Camp is nearby, then a suspension bridge crosses the creek and the route climbs about 400 feet to the Brush Creek junction. Whatcom Pass is an optional 10.2-mile round-trip side trip from here, not part of this loop.
Continue along the Chilliwack valley to the separate lower river crossing. The route uses a small, self-pulled two-person cable car at about mile 22.9; its rope is rough, so gloves help. After crossing, pass U.S. Cabin and Copper Creek camps, then climb steeply back to Boundary Camp at about mile 28.5. The final 5.1 miles retrace the Hannegan Pass approach. In the valley, the trail passes old-growth forest and slopes still marked by the 2022 Chilliwack Fire, where fireweed now contrasts with the green river corridor.
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
ChallengingHannegan Pass and Peak Trail10.4 mi · 7 hr · At the trailheadA steep summit spur turns a pass hike into an all-day climb.
ChallengingChilliwack River Trail17.3 mi · 11.5 hr · At the trailheadOld-growth river miles and a cable crossing reward a big commitment.
ChallengingPacific Northwest Trail: Hannegan to Ross Dam49.3 mi · 1.5 days · At the trailheadThree high passes follow wild rivers through old-growth cedar.
ChallengingThe Great North Cascades Traverse105 mi · 3.3 days · At the trailheadA 105-mile crossing over five passes links Hannegan and Stehekin.
ChallengingCopper Ridge Trail13.9 mi · 11 hr · 3.5 mi awaySeven open ridge miles reward a demanding wilderness approach.ChallengingBrush Creek Trail to Whatcom Pass9.5 mi · 8 hr · 7.7 mi awayChallenger Glacier and Little Beaver valley open up from this remote pass.
ChallengingShannon Ridge Trail6.7 mi · 5.5 hr · 10 mi awayA steep forest climb earns a long ridge view over Baker Lake.
ModerateBaker River Trail 6065.2 mi · 2.5 hr · 11.2 mi awayA gentle 5.2-mile river walk to Sulphide Creek Camp.Parkwolf’s North Cascades ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
