Hiking Trails in and Around the Boulder River Wilderness Area in Washington

Boulder River Wilderness a nearly 49,000 acre protected wilderness area located in the Northern Cascades in Washington. All trails in the area are part of the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. Some trailheads and picnic sites in the forest require Northwest Forest Passes while others do not. At the time of writing, only one trail near the Boulder River Wilderness required a pass, but you can check for updates here www.fs.fed.us/r6/passespermits/sites-mt-baker-snoqualmie-nf.shtml.

Boulder River #734

Boulder River, an 8.6 mile round trip hike, is accessible any time of the year. This hike through old growth forest boasts cascading waterfalls and ancient moss-covered trees; it's a great hike for kids or taking your dog along. Dogs must be on a leash. Hikers can enjoy Feature Show Falls, Boulder Falls, and Half-Mile Falls. Many hikers confuse Feature Show Falls with Boulder Falls. Feature Show Falls are visible from the trail, while Boulder Falls can only be head from the trail. You'll need to go off the trail to see Boulder Falls. A longer 2 day trek through Boulder River Wilderness to Craig Lakes Falls is another option. The trail reaches 1550 feet in altitude and has a modest elevation gain of 700 feet. A Northwest Forest Pass was not required to park at the trailhead in 2009.

Three Fingers #641

Most of the Boulder River Wilderness is rough and without trails, but its two peaks, Whitehorse and Three Fingers, both have marked trails to their summits. Three Fingers is a challenging 15-mile round trip hike to a 6854 foot peak. A 4200 foot gain in elevation, a decent amount of scrambling, and the need for technical equipment does not make this hike accessible for everyone. Three Fingers may be climbed during the summer without ice axes, but at all other times there is too much ice and snow to get past Tin Can Gap without technical equipment. On the other hand, a hike to the scenic Goat Flats along the Three Fingers trail is more accessible for hikers. Be wary of mud holes and rock slides. There is a camping area at Goat Flats meadow. A Northwest Forest Pass was not required to park at the Three Fingers trailhead in 2009.

Meadow Mountain #657

Located in the Darrington district, Meadow Mountain trail leads to Meadow Lake and Crystal Lake (#638). This day hike is best done during the dry season, and Meadow Mountain to Crystal Lake makes a nice loop if you don't want to come back the same way. The hike in from the trailhead starts with approximately 4.5 miles of recovering road bed before the switchbacks start. The flatter part of the trail is hot and can be quite monotonous, but once you start going up things get more interesting. The trail cross meadows and goes up and down through old forest areas, and many peaks (Glacier Peak, Black Peak, White Chuck and more) are visible from the route. Meadow Mountain trailhead requires a Northwest Forest Pass. Read recent trip reports at www.wta.org.