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Skagit County, Washington

Top Spots in and near Skagit County

  • Skagit County, Washington

    Sauk Mountain Summit 5,541'

    4.3
    4 mi / 1200 ft gain
    Even from the Trailhead, the views overlooking the Skagit River valley, all the way out toward Mount Vernon, are outstanding. The trail follows 20 tight switchbacks as it makes it's way 600 feet up to the southern crest of the summit ridge. This is a steep slope and it's possible to look straight...
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  • Arlington, Washington

    Hike the Boulder River Trail

    4.3
    8.6 mi / 700 ft gain
    Boulder River is a great outing for those days when you feel like you just need a good hike through the forest. This makes for a nice long day hike, but because both of the large waterfalls are within the first half of the trail, you can still see the falls without going the whole way. The trailh...
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  • Concrete, Washington

    Hike the East Bank of Baker Lake

    4.3
    9.2 mi / 978 ft gain
    Access the hike from a 26.5-mile drive down Baker Lake Rd to the Baker Lake Trailhead. Note that the last 6 miles are unpaved and rather rough. The trail starts at low elevation so there's rarely snow or condition concerns, even in early spring. The trail runs alongside and then crosses the Bake...
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  • Arlington, Washington

    Three Fingers Lookout

    4.5
    14.31 mi / 4357 ft gain
    Approximately 11 miles east of Granite Falls, WA, on the Mt. Loop Highway,  turn onto Forest Service road 41 and follow this road for 18.0 miles to the trailhead. The road is quite rough and it is recommended you have a four-wheel drive vehicle. There is a washout about halfway along the road, an...
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  • Concrete, Washington

    Dock Butte

    4.5
    3.92 mi / 1388 ft gain
    Dock Butte is an easy hike offering truly spectacular 360 degree views of the Mt. Baker region. In summer this summit can be done as an easy walk up. It is especially good during the late summer for hikers and introducing someone into hiking. From the parking lot the trail goes through forest wi...
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  • Concrete, Washington

    Anderson and Watson Lake

    5.68 mi / 1165 ft gain
    The drive up to the starting point of the trail to Anderson and Watson Lake was easy, but at the end it gets a little tricky - the service road is sharp gravel and runs for about 10 miles to the trailhead. Some spots are steep and there are large potholes, but slow and steady wins the race. There...
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  • Marblemount, Washington

    Hike Lazy Bear Falls

    3.0
    To get to Lazy Bear Falls, take Bacon Creek Road off the North Cascade Highway for 5 miles. At the 3-way fork, take the left road, which will lead you down and over a bridge crossing Bacon Creek. From here, the road will require 4x4 and high clearance.From here, continue up the road for about 0.5...
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  • Concrete, Washington

    Park Butte Lookout

    4.5
    7.64 mi / 2100 ft gain
    This place is really the stuff of fairy tales. Where else can you find a tiny cabin with 360-degree views of stunning mountain scenery? To the west, you can see all the way to Bellingham and the Puget Sound. To the south and east lie the jagged North Cascades. And the entire northern horizon is ...
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  • Concrete, Washington

    Backpack the Easton Glacier Railroad Grade

    10 mi / 3000 ft gain
    Begin at the Park Butte trailhead, trail 603. Hike past the first Scott Paul trail sign a few hundred feet from the trailhead. Continue on and cross appropriately name Rocky Creek heading up on the Park Butte Trail. Continue up the Park Butte trail passing the Scott Paul trail again at about 4,50...
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  • Concrete, Washington

    Climb Mt. Baker via the Easton Glacier Route

    16 mi / 7600 ft gain
    The Easton Glacier route is one of the mountain’s most popular and likewise, most crowded. Check out Mt. Baker’s Squak Glacier route or Coleman Deming Glacier route for an alternative climb with similar difficulty.You’ll start out at Schreibers Meadow Trailhead (3,200 ft.). To get there, exit off...
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  • Concrete, Washington

    Climb Mt. Baker via Squak Glacier

    10 mi / 7500 ft gain
    NOTE: THIS ROUTE REQUIRES GLACIER TRAVEL SKILLSMt Baker, or Kulshan, is a remarkable mountain in northwest Washington. Whether you're in Anacortes, Bellingham, Vancouver or on the San Juan Islands you can see Mt Baker standing as a citadel over the Northwest. Unlike the more popular routes like t...
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  • Marblemount, Washington

    Hike to Monogram Lake

    9.8 mi / 4500 ft gain
    On a drizzly day, we set out to patrol Monogram Lake. Sore legs and thousands of feet later, we had the pristine lake all to ourselves with gorgeous fall weather and peek-a-boo views of the North Cascades.From Highway 20 in Marblemount, take Cascade River Road for 7 miles and look for a small par...
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  • Marblemount, Washington

    Lookout Mountain Trail

    5.0
    9.06 mi / 4610 ft gain
    Beginning about 7 miles down the Cascade River Road from Marblemount, the Lookout Mountain Lookout trailhead is on the north side of the road with parking for about 4-5 cars. With about 4500' elevation gain in 4.7 miles, this hike is definitely a thigh burner. The trail begins with a steep climb...
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  • Concrete, Washington

    Kayak Baker Lake

    5.0
    Just over 2 hours northeast of Seattle, Baker Lake is an often overlooked gem of the North Cascades. With 8+ miles of turquoise green water to explore, Baker Lake makes for a great day trip or overnight trip, with plenty of backcountry boat-in campsites and sandy beaches along the shore. You can...
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  • Granite Falls, Washington

    Old Robe Canyon Trail

    3.69 mi / 771 ft gain
    NOTE: The trail is currently closed about 1 mile in due to landslides.  This trail starts right off the Mountain Loop Highway outside of Granite Falls. Look out for a brick sign with the trail name, as it's easy to miss otherwise. There's parking next to the highway, but since there is a history...
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  • Granite Falls, Washington

    North Lake via Independence Lake

    5.56 mi / 2431 ft gain
    North Lake is everything you could want in a subalpine lake: emerald green hues, cold, clear water, lots of brook trout and far from cell-phone reception. This backpack is perfect when the weather gets hot and sunny, though it does reside in what is known as “the wettest section of the Cascades,...
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Camping and Lodging in Skagit County

Shannon Creek Campground
Concrete, Washington

Shannon Creek Campground

Concrete / Grandy Creek KOA Holiday
Concrete, Washington

Concrete / Grandy Creek KOA Holiday

Clear Creek Campground
Darrington, Washington

Clear Creek Campground

Boulder Creek Campground
Concrete, Washington

Boulder Creek Campground

Panorama Point Campground
Concrete, Washington

Panorama Point Campground

Park Creek Campground
Concrete, Washington

Park Creek Campground

Guides, Insights and Stories from Skagit County

Join Us for a National Parks Benefit Concert at Seattle's Benaroya Hall

Join Us for a National Parks Benefit Concert at Seattle's Benaroya Hall

Rose Freeman

Dare to Challenge Winter in the Mount Baker Backcountry and the Payoffs Can Be Monumental

Dare to Challenge Winter in the Mount Baker Backcountry and the Payoffs Can Be Monumental

Randy Gordon

The Top 10 Hikes in the North Cascades

The Top 10 Hikes in the North Cascades

Michael Fricke

14 Photos from our Amazing Weekend in the North Cascades

14 Photos from our Amazing Weekend in the North Cascades

John Wingfield

An Impression of the North Cascades

An Impression of the North Cascades

Crystal Brindle