Maple Pass Loop in Washington is one of those bucket list trails that if you’re a hiker, completing it is a must! Its hard to pick the wrong time of year to complete this hike, but due to its popularity and distance of the trail, planning is important.
With sweeping views, steep drop offs, forested switchbacks, and alpine lakes, this trail really has it all. Not to be confused with the Heather Maple Pass loop, this is in fact the same trail.
The North Cascades are home to some of the most beautiful mountains in the Pacific Northwest. With their grand scale, and hard to reach backcountry trails-if your in for the effort, the view is worth the thigh burning hikes.
Trails in the North Cascades have brought me to tears before. Reminds me that I don’t have to travel far to feel the scale of mountains like this. Even though places like Banff National Park are stunning, take it from somebody who has been…the North Cascades might be my favorite mountain range in the United States.
On this blog post you will learn everything that you need to know before completing this hike, the best time of year to visit, and what to expect. Before hitting the trail, abide by Leave No Trace Principles and stay on trail!
Where Is Maple Pass Located?
The trailhead is located in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, with views of the North Cascades and volcanoes like Mount Rainier and Mount Adams can be seen on a clear day.
From Seattle: 3 hours
From Portland: 6 hours
An important thing to note, is that highway 20 closes mid to late November and reopens late April or early May depending on snowpack. Highway 20 is a stunning scenic highway that is worth taking the time to drive. Be sure to stop at some of these scenic destinations along the way for a lunch break. Always check trip reports before you go as construction or fires can often times close the entire highway.
When is the Best Time to Hike Maple Pass?
Maple Pass is accessible 3 seasons out of the year, spring, summer, and fall.
Fall at Maple Pass Trail is the best time to visit. It is because of the larch trees that turn a glorious yellow color in mid-October. This is called the larch march and cars will line HWY20 to access the trail. Larches at Maple Pass can start to turn as early as late September and once the first cold days come, they will fall fast so seeing them at peak colors requires some planning!
PRO-TIP: To avoid the foot traffic of larch march, hike the trail during the weekday and start at 7AM or earlier. We did this and was able to park close to the trailhead, and had a peaceful hike for most of it.
Summer at Maple Pass is the second best season to visit due to sunny days and wildflowers on the trail. Typically, wildflowers are found at this elevation late July-August. Keep in mind that July tends to bring lots of mosquitoes in the area, so pack your bug spray. The trail will still be quite busy in the summertime as well so start early, and avoid weekends if you can.
Spring at Maple Pass can often times require technical skills of hiking with snow. Before highway 20 opens, bikers often hit the road when the pavement is available so this is a great way to access the trail before it gets busy. Always know weather before you go, and pack micro-spikes and trekking poles. People do attempt this in April and often turn around.
In winter this trail is unaccessible and it is not advisable that you visit this area due to avalanche risk and extreme amounts of snow.
What Can I Expect the Trail to be Like?
It took me years to want to do this hike because of how busy it is. But for good reason, this trail is stunning and I see why it is as busy as it is. With that being said, I do think that the trail could benefit from permitting.
That is why when I planned to hike Maple Pass Loop for peak larch colors, I went during the week. I stayed in Winthrop so I was able to wake up early, and hit the trail early. I had a bit of hikers anxiety seeing over 100 cars on the highway on my way to Winthrop.
The parking lot itself at the Rainy Pass Trailhead trailhead does have bathrooms and picnic tables, but it is small and fits approximately 40 cars.
Trail Stats
Distance: 7.2 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 2020 feet
Pass Required: NW Forest Pass or America the Beautiful
Dogs: Allowed on leash, but not past the part of the trail that crosses into the North Cascades National Park. If your dog doesn’t do well with a lot of people and steep terrain, it is best to leave them at home.
Direction: Hike this trail counter-clockwise for a more gentle ascent, hike clockwise to get the steeper section out of the way. Both are equally as stunning, it is your preference on what your body can handle.
After going through the switchbacks and forested area (if your going counterclockwise like I did) views of Lake Ann and the terrain opens dramatically. After leaving the forest the trail is quite exposed so prepare yourself for that. An option to visit Lake Ann is possible, adding a peaceful lakeside stop-which is .06 miles from the trail to the lake.
There aren’t any places to fill up water along the trail as well, so be sure to pack enough and bring a lunch to enjoy halfway! It is a stunning view and if you’re lucky enough to get weather like I did when I was there, take a seat a savor it.
If the choice of hiking counter clockwise was yours, the descent starts to get steep pretty quickly. As the trail narrows, be sure to abide by moving aside for hikers who are going uphill have the right of way.
What Gear Should I Bring on This Hike?
When doing a longer hike like this it is important to be prepared for everything. Especially if your planning to hike Maple Pass Loop in October, it can quickly go from fall to winter very quickly. I had some friends hike it the day after I did last year (October 15, 2024) and the trail was covered in snow and the larch needles fell quicky.
Essentials for this trail for fall and winter: rain jacket, puffy jacket, microspikes, water bladder, backpack, trekking poles, and satellite device.
Have good quality footwear for this hike and know your ability levels. While it is a popular hike, search and rescue finds themselves on this trail when people are underprepared for this.
For summer hiking on this trail, you can ditch the microspikes, and most likely the rain jacket-that is why it is importnat to know before you go. I use All Trails to check the weather on the trail, but it is better to be safe than sorry because weather in the mountains can change quickly! Use my code “itsloganmarie30” to save on your All Trails subscription so your able to use offline maps and additional features that make trip planning easier!
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