North Fork Sauk River

North Cascades

Some trails go to lakes, some to high viewpoints. This trail is all about the forest, and what a forest it is! Old-growth trees reach for the sky on either side of a brush-free trail, since understory is minimal when big old trees block out the sunlight. Find fantastic mushrooms here in the fall and forest wildflowers in the spring and early summer.

Since the Whitechuck Trail has been washed out this trail has become the main route to climb Glacier Peak. Climbers mix with backpackers and day hikers on the way to various destinations.

The North Fork Sauk River is never far away, and always in earshot, but seldom seen. At two miles is a junction with the trail to Pilot Ridge. A short walk on a spur trail here takes you over to the North Fork Sauk River. This is among the best viewpoints of the river.

The route has numerous small ups and downs, meandering alongside the river. At the 4-mile mark is Red Creek, where a new bridge makes crossing a snap. During the time that there was no bridge this was a difficult ford, but now hikers can easily carry on to Mackinaw Shelter at 5.5 miles, where the North Fork Sauk River hike ends and climbing begins.

Go as far as you like. This can be a short hike to the junction with the Pilot Ridge Trail, or up to 11 miles roundtrip to the shelter and back.

WTA Pro Tip: If you can't have a hike without views, you can find them, even on this trail. Soon after leaving the trailhead, come to a junction with the Red Mountain Trail. Turning onto this trail, hike one mile. You'll gain 700 feet of elevation before you arrive at the site of the old Red Mountain Lookout.

This is not the top of the mountain but a good viewpoint nonetheless. The lookout site and the first few miles of the North Fork Sauk Trail makes for a good day, allowing for both forest exploration and heart pumping elevation gain.

North Fork Sauk River

Map & Directions

Getting There

On the Mountain Loop Highway, drive 16 miles south of Darrington or 26.2 miles east of Verlot to Forest Road 49. Turn east and proceed 6.4 miles to a sign for North Fork Sauk parking lot.