Parking
Park in the large boat-ramp lot at Colonial Creek Campground off SR 20 near mile 130. Walk back through the campground to the amphitheater, where the Thunder Creek Trail begins.
Overview
About Fourth of July Pass via Thunder Creek
Why go
- A shady creekside start leads to big views of peaks and Neve Glacier.
- The pass is among the park’s earlier high passes to melt out.
Heads up
- A long out-and-back with a steep 2,600-foot climb.
- The pass itself is unsigned and viewless; the best panorama is at camp and the nearby overlook.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the North Cascades map
Full mapElevation1,204–3,707 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active North Cascades alerts
- ClosureWildfire closures and Stehekin fire advisoryWildfire-related closures remain in effect; stay out of all closed trails, camps, and areas.Official details
- CautionCampfires banned across the park complexCampfires and other ash-producing fires are banned throughout the North Cascades National Park Service Complex.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
North Cascades Tour Guide
Your drive to Fourth of July Pass via Thunder Creek, narrated.
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 tourRecorded for this trailhead
Colonial Creek: Lake Access and Thunder Knob0:00 / 0:35
“You're approaching Colonial Creek, where old-growth forest meets Diablo Lake. Stop here to get down to the water: the South Campground has a boat launch and a wheelchair-accessible fishing pier.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf North Cascades Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- An Alder's Hidden Partners
- Diablo Lake Overlook
- A Squirrel's Cone Store
- Diablo Dam: Across the Crest
- 83 audio storiesacross North Cascades’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Mountain Goat, Black Bear, Mule Deer, and 10 more
- Works offlinemaps, 88 trails, 76 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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
Hiking Fourth of July Pass via Thunder Creek
A long day with a payoff before the passFourth of July Pass via Thunder Creek is a 10.
Fourth of July Pass via Thunder Creek is a 10.4-mile out-and-back from Colonial Creek Campground, with about 2,600 feet of climbing. It begins in old-growth forest beside Thunder Creek, then climbs steeply onto open slopes with views of Colonial Peak, Snowfield Peak and Neve Glacier. Allow about six to eight hours. This is a good choice if you want a sustained climb and a quiet high-country finish; the first stretch is easy, but the day as a whole is strenuous.
Follow the creek, then take the left forkFrom the large boat-ramp lot, walk back through the campground to the amphitheater, where the…
From the large boat-ramp lot, walk back through the campground to the amphitheater, where the Thunder Creek Trail begins. Follow the creek upstream for about two miles through forest, then cross the bridge. About a third of a mile beyond it, turn left onto the Fourth of July Trail. The first miles are gentler than the climb ahead, and the creekside stretch is part of the return as well.
Climb to Fourth of July CampThe route gains roughly 2,000 feet in about 2.5 miles to Fourth of July Camp, around 3,400 feet.
The route gains roughly 2,000 feet in about 2.5 miles to Fourth of July Camp, around 3,400 feet. The forest opens to the best mountain views of the hike, including Neve Glacier below the surrounding peaks. The camp is a natural place to rest; if the panorama is your main reason for coming, you get the strongest view here. For a photo, include the rocky ledge and a few conifers in the foreground so the peaks feel tied to the trail.
The pass is farther on, and quieterThe pass is less than a mile beyond camp.
The pass is less than a mile beyond camp. It is broad, forested, indistinct and unsigned, with no view from the saddle itself. A short distance before it, look for the overlook above the small Panther Potholes. Continue to the pass if reaching the saddle matters to you; don't expect the summit-style panorama to improve there.
Access and rulesThe route is hiker-only, and leashed dogs are allowed.
The route is hiker-only, and leashed dogs are allowed. Overnight stays require a limited backcountry permit; campfires are prohibited at Fourth of July Camp. Pack food for the day.
Wildlife
Wildlife in North Cascades
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.
