Bridge Creek
The Old Wagon Road that was built to service the prospecting community of Bridge Creek has long been rerouted, but it now makes a very gentle and quite pleasant hike.
Tag Archive for: DAYHIKES
McGregor Mountain
8129′ McGregor Mountain is our top choice for a challenging hike with elevation and spectacular views.
Purple Pass
Purple Creek Trail is a good option for getting some elevation at the lower end of the Stehekin Valley.
Agnes Gorge
Agnes Gorge Trail takes you 2.5 miles to a 210 foot deep gorge with only 300 feet elevation gain. As far as scenery is concerned, this is my favorite of the easy trails.
Howard Lake
Howard Lake and the surrounding area are full of options to make a great experience for hikers of all skill levels.
Lakeshore Trail
The Lakeshore Trail follows the north shore of Lake Chelan 17 miles to Prince Creek. The day hiker can go as far as he feels up to and turn around.
Stehekin River Trail
The Stehekin River Trail is a nice cool hike for a hot day, and comes complete with a few fishing holes along the way.
Rainbow Loop
Rainbow Loop Trail is a pleasant 4.4 miles with moderate elevation gains and fantastic views across the entire Stehekin Valley.
Best Day Hikes in Stehekin: Part 3 – Going to the Top!
Our final suggestion in the Best Day Hikes series. The following describes the best of the best in the “Challenging” category. If you are all about getting the fantastic views, and don’t mind breaking a sweat to get them, then this is for you. I would put this in the “well worth it” category, but you will certainly earn your dinner (and dessert) with this one!
McGregor Mountain – This trail is the one for those looking to get some elevation and spectacular views of the North Cascades mountain range. There is a well built trail most of the way to the top of the 8,129′ mountain. The last mile is a relatively easy scramble, but you definitely want to exercise caution and use good judgement. The scramble route is marked with red paint, but it can be tricky to find, so if you plan to summit, do your homework before you head out. From the trailhead, it is 7 miles to the top. Those looking for a shorter hike will start getting some great views about 2 miles from the trailhead. Regardless of how far you go, this hike is well worth the effort on a clear day!
Difficult, but with Moderate options for those not wanting to summit, 14 miles RT to summit, many viewpoints
Best Day Hikes in Stehekin: Part 2 – Finding the Vistas
Installment 2 of our day hike suggestions for your stay in the Stehekin Valley (and at our Ranch of course!). The following suggestions fall into the “Moderate” category. More elevation, and more views, but still not overly strenuous.
Rainbow Loop Trail – This trail falls into the easy to moderate category. There are 2 trailheads for this hike. You must hike a bit of the road in order to complete the “loop”, but most people simply start at the Upper trailhead, and come out at the Lower trailhead, which is conveniently located about 1/2 mile from the bakery where they can get an ice cream cone and wait for the next bus to bring them back to the Ranch. The upper end of the trail is mostly wooded – quite nice as you are hiking uphill! You will cross a bridge about halfway – this is Rainbow Creek. From here on out you will get many view points looking out across the Stehekin Valley. Looking straight down, you will see Buckner Orchard, and off to the left is Lake Chelan. As an optional extension, you can branch off onto the main Rainbow Creek Trail a mile or so and get some more great views as you go up.
Easy-Moderate 4.5 miles with viewpoints of the Stehekin Valley and Lake Chelan.
McGregor Mountain Lite – This trail is the one for those looking to get some elevation and spectacular views of the North Cascades mountain range. It is 7 miles of uphill trail to get to the summit (stay tuned for our next installment if you are looking to summit), but the great thing about this trail is that you don’t have to go to the top to enjoy some fabulous views. As you head up, you will pass Coon Lake about 1 mile in. This is a beautiful alpine lake. Keep going past the lake and you will come to the McGregor Trail turnoff. As you continue up, you’ll start getting some great views about another mile from the lake. The farther up you go, the more you will be able to see, but you can turn around at any time. Regardless of how far you go, this hike is well worth the effort on a clear day!
Difficult, but with Moderate options for those not wanting to summit, 14 miles RT to summit, many viewpoints
Get Social With Us
