Thornton Lake & Trappers Peak, North Cascades National Park
Hike Statistics:
Distance: ~12 miles
Elevation gain: ~4,000 feet
Highlights: Lower Thornton Lake, Trappers Peak panorama
AllTrails Link for Thornton Lake
AllTrails Link for Trappers Peak
About this Hike
North Cascades National Park is one of the least-visited national parks in the country due to its inaccessibility. The easiest way to visit is to commit to a long, hard day hike. The park houses a number of trails that begin in the adjacent Ross Lake National Recreation Area and end in the national park. Most of these trails clock in around 10 miles or more. My favorite of these trails is the unforgettable trek to Trappers Peak and nearby Thornton Lake.
Hard to get to and even harder to complete, Thornton Lake and Trappers Peak make you work for some of the best views in Washington. Getting to the trailhead requires navigation of 5 miles of rough, gravel road that’s hard to traverse in a 2WD vehicle. Once parking, you’ll then hike for several miles through untouched forests until reaching a clearing, where the jagged peaks of the North Cascades begin to appear. Here, you’ll reach a fork in the trail offering two different adventures. The first is a rocky scramble to the summit of Trappers Peak, which offers one of the best panoramas in the state. The second is a steep descent to Lower Thornton Lake, a beautiful alpine lake with rocky shores beckoning hikers to take a swim.
Both adventures are worth your time, just be prepared for a challenge. Whether you choose to do one or both, you won’t regret it.
As with Mount Rainier, I’d recommend attempting this hike in July or August for the best weather. Start early – before noon at the latest – to avoid getting caught on the trail after dark.
Learn more about Thornton Lake & Trappers Peak in my detailed article on the hike.
