In August 2022, a good friend and I journeyed to North Cascades National Park in Washington state. We tent-camped at the Lower Goodell Group Campground with my Seattle hiking group and hiked during the following two days.
August 19, 2022
Since traffic out of Seattle, WA can move slowly on a Friday, we left before noon in order to reach the campground by 3 p.m. Be forewarned, these days traffic tends to stall around Everett, WA on Interstate 5 and can be slow through Arlington.
We took highway 530 east from Arlington, stopping at Brews with a View for refreshment in Darrington. From there we continued to Rockport, where we drove east on highway 20. It was enjoyable catching up with my friend from San Diego and sharing our excitement about the next two days!
We arrived at the campground just as some hiking friends who’d arrived earlier were returning from area hikes. It was great fun to sit around the picnic table, swap stories, and eat dinner. Later that evening, our larger group enjoyed time around a campfire, discussing the different hikes we’d be going on the next day. I didn’t stay long as could feel my exhaustion. I knew slumber would come easily!
August 20, 2022
We knew the hike up Cascade Pass to Sahale Arm would be popular. Therefore, our goal was to begin our trek to Sahale Arm at 5:30 a.m. We drove towards Marblemount and proceeded onto the Cascade River Road for a 23-mile drive. We were thrilled to nab one of the last parking spots at the trailhead! (Remember to check road conditions before planning your visits to North Cascades Park.)
The hike to Sahale Arm is no walk in the park being 12 miles round trip with 4000 feet in elevation gain. Our hike began with a long series of switchbacks through the forest. There were few others on the trail this early, and we enjoyed the silence of our surroundings. Eventually, trees became sparse, and we were enchanted with the beauty all around! Incredible mountain peaks became visible above the cloud banks.
We paused at Cascade Pass to use the restroom and take in the views, amazing from all directions. There were views of peaks such as Eldorado, Johannesburg, Magic, Mixup, and McGregor. From here, one can continue on Cascade Pass Trail east to Stehekin; however, we turned left up the Sahale Arm Trail.
We climbed through the subalpine meadows, and the views, especially of the peaks and clouds to the west, were fantastic! Eventually, we reached a sizable talus field where we carefully made our way until we reached the Sahale Glacier Camp. (We knew this from the collection of flat spots ringed with rock piles for wind protection.)
Making our way over the talus rock was challenging, but we were rewarded for our efforts. Two marmots and two mountain goats greeted us at the glacier camp! We posed for pictures in the rock rings, taking photos and videos of the beautiful surroundings.
The outstanding views really did seem endless, and it was a bonus to spot Doubtful Lake several feet below us. It was a such pleasure to have the rock rings virtually to ourselves! We celebrated our summit by relaxing for a bit and enjoying our snacks.
On our way down, we met members of my Seattle hiking group taking a break just before the talus area. We arrived at Cascade Pass to lots of hikers, seated everywhere, taking in the scenery just like we had hours earlier.
After a short break, we continued down the Cascade Pass Trail, continuing to pass ascending hikers. We felt gleeful when we finished our hike at 3 p.m. it was satisfying to finish one of the most stunning treks in Washington!
We drove back to our campsite, cooling off with refreshing lake water, and catching up with other hikers. It was another great evening, enjoying dinner and great conversation with kindred spirits!
August 21, 2022
Once again, we rose early, ready to take on the day! Instead of breakfast, we packed up and opted for snacking as we hiked the Thunder Knob Trail. We drove east on highway 20 to milepost 130 and parked on the north side of the highway at the Colonial Creek North Campground. We walked north through the campground coming across footbridges that lead to the start of the trail.
The Thunder Knob Trail is 3.6 miles round trip and under 500 feet in elevation gain, so it was perfect for a first morning hike. The lower parts of the trail were exposed and showed evidence of prior floods. However, as we increased in elevation, we experienced more tree coverage. We eventually ascended to a knoll and enjoyed different viewpoints. I enjoyed looking west over Diablo Lake, which appeared turquoise in color – just beautiful!
Our next hike was on the Fourth of July Pass Trail, not far from where we were. However, we decided to move our car to the Colonial Creek South Campground, closer to the trailhead.
Our hike began on the Thunder Creek Trail where we hiked south in old growth forest along Thunder Creek. The turquoise color of the water was beautiful! Apparently, it’s caused by “rock flour” ground by the many glaciers at the creek’s headwaters. We turned left passing over a large wooden bridge and onto the Fourth of July Pass Trail. We paused on the bridge to photograph the turquoise creek in both directions!
The hike to Fourth of July Pass is 10 miles round trip with over 2000 feet in elevation gain. Our ascent on the west side included steep switchbacks. We caught some occasional views, but the best were from the Fourth of July Camp. After the camp, we trekked a couple miles through lush forest, before turning around. Although we did not experience the amazing views like we did at Sahale Arm, I’m grateful for our efforts. Hiking alongside the turquoise creek and among the lush ferns up top made for a wonderful trek!
Our drive back to Seattle involved lots of traffic, but it seemed to fly by! We reminisced about our fun weekend and jammed out to great music. As a bonus, we satisfied our appetites by feasting at a Thai restaurant once we arrived home!
I thoroughly enjoyed camping and hiking in the North Cascades National Park with my good friend and other hiking friends. I will always remember the trek up to the Sahale Arm and the views of turquoise waters from the other two hikes. If you’ve ever been to the North Cascades National Park or are planning to visit there, I’d love to hear from you!