Parking
Start at East Bank Trailhead off SR 20 at milepost 138; this is the access used for the 10-mile route. Ross Dam Trailhead is a separate approach that adds a steep descent and service-road connector.
Overview
About Happy Panther Trail
Why go
- Two sturdy bridges pass the Lillian and Berry Creek waterfalls.
- About 400 feet of reported gain over a long route.
Heads up
- Ten miles is a long day for a trail that stays mostly in the forest.
- Two creek crossings are unbridged and can be unsafe in spring runoff.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the North Cascades map
Full mapElevation1,637–1,997 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 Happy Panther Trail, 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
East Bank Trailhead: Ruby Creek and Longer Trips0:00 / 0:27
“Up ahead is East Bank Trailhead, a starting point for long forest walks and backpacking trips above Ross Lake. The full East Bank route runs thirty-one miles one way to Hozomeen, usually taking two or three days.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf North Cascades Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- How a Glacier Retreats
- The Log Beneath the Trees
- The Highway's Long Wait
- Ross Lake Overlook: A Quick View Through the Trees
- 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 Happy Panther Trail
A long, low-gain forest routeHappy Panther Trail is a 10-mile out-and-back from East Bank Trailhead on SR 20 to a point just…
Happy Panther Trail is a 10-mile out-and-back from East Bank Trailhead on SR 20 to a point just east of the Ross Dam access road. It follows the wooded bank above Ruby Arm of Ross Lake and gains about 400 feet. This is a long forest day, not a summit hike: expect a dirt footpath, modest rises and dips, and occasional water between the trees. Allow about five hours, with extra time for the waterfall bridges or if high water slows the creek crossings.
Follow the creek bridgesFrom the East Bank access, the path winds through mossy forest with intermittent views of the…
From the East Bank access, the path winds through mossy forest with intermittent views of the lake. Lillian and Berry creeks are the memorable stops: each has a sturdy bridge beside a waterfall. The west end reaches the Ross Dam access-road area; turn around there and retrace the same trail for the 10-mile round trip.
What the walking is likeMost of the route is natural dirt singletrack, with gradual ups and downs rather than a…
Most of the route is natural dirt singletrack, with gradual ups and downs rather than a sustained climb. The forest keeps the walk shaded, and small openings reveal the blue-green water below. This suits hikers who enjoy a long, quiet-footed walk through trees; choose another route if you want an open summit or a view around every bend. Two creek crossings are unbridged and can become unsafe during spring runoff, so do not force a crossing when the water is high.
Two creeks in the nameHappy Panther joins the names of Happy Creek and Panther Creek; it is not named for an animal.
Happy Panther joins the names of Happy Creek and Panther Creek; it is not named for an animal. The path began as a miner's trail in the early 1900s and now also serves Pacific Northwest Trail hikers crossing between sides of Ross Lake. Calypso orchids may bloom in the moss in spring.
Start at the right endUse East Bank Trailhead at SR 20, milepost 138 for the 10-mile route above; auto parking is…
Use East Bank Trailhead at SR 20, milepost 138 for the 10-mile route above; auto parking is listed at this access. Starting from Ross Dam Trailhead is a different, longer itinerary: it descends steeply toward the dam, follows a service-road connector, then joins Happy Panther. That approach is about 12.5 miles round trip with 1,200 feet of gain. Leashed dogs are allowed on Happy Panther.
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.
