A trail that has been on my bucket list in Washington for YEARS before I completed it is the Hidden Lake Lookout Trail in North Cascades National Park. I’ve been obsessed with lookouts in Washington since I hiked to my first one, Park Butte, in 2018.

Hidden Lake Lookout is known for its gravity-defying location on the top of Hidden Lake Peak. This decommissioned fire tower is now used as a first-come, first-served campsite just outside of the National Park limits. While most of the trail to the fire lookout is straightforward and easy to follow, the route from Hidden Lake to the peak requires some scrambling. There is no “right way” up to the peak. It can be both exhilarating and terrifying…depending on how you feel about heights and bouldering.

In this blog post, I will share everything you need to know about planning your trip to Hidden Lake Lookout, what to expect along the way, how to stay in the fire tower overnight, and share my thoughts on this trail being a “100 Classic Hike of Washington”.

If that sounds good to you, let’s get into it!

Just a heads up! This post contains affiliate links, which means I could earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks in advance for your support.

Ultimate Guide to the Hidden Lake Lookout Trail

Hidden Lake Lookout is on the “100 Classic Hikes of Washington” list. An old trail guide in Washington originally written by Ira Springs and Harvey Manning, but was since updated by Craig Romano. When I moved to Washington in 2018, I wanted to hike the best trails the state had to offer, and I was lucky enough to come across this publication.

Now, I’ve made it my mission to hike all of the trails in the 3rd Edition of “100 Classic Hikes of Washington”. Hidden Lake Lookout is 56/100 for me. You can find all of my trail guides for this journey here.

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Know Before You Hike Hidden Lake Lookout

Regardless of whether you’re completing this trail as a day hike or an overnight, your preparation before hitting the trail is vital for your safety and comfort.

Location of the Trail

Hidden Lake Lookout is located on the ancestral lands of the Sauk Suiattle, Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Nlaka’pamux peoples, who have and continue to be the original stewards of the land. We honor them by respecting the land we use.

Getting to the Trailhead

The drive to the Hidden Lake Lookout Trailhead is relatively straightforward.

Coming from Western Washington, take Highway 530 to Darrington. Grab a coffee and bagel at Moe’s Coffeehouse before continuing on HWY 530 at the junction.

Turn right onto Highway 20 in Rockport and continue along Highway 20 for about 8 miles until you reach Cascade River Road in the town of Marblemount. Follow Cascade River Road for 10 miles before turning left onto Forest Service Road 1540. Note: Directions on Google Maps indicate that the turn onto FS 1540 is a quarter mile past the actual turn.

Continue along the forest service road until you reach the trailhead!

If you are following the AllTrails Trail Map, the trail begins about a half mile on the app before the actual trailhead. AllTrails lists the trail as 8.7 miles, but it is closer to 8.0 miles in total.

Road Conditions

As far as forest service roads go, this one is not the worst out there. The road to Winchester Mountain probably wins the award for worst FS road in Washington.

However, there are still some pretty deep potholes along the narrow and steep drive. There were plenty of sedans at the trailhead, but some people chose to park further down the forest service road and walk up.

I bottomed out once in my Toyota RAV4, but that was most likely due to ineptitude.

Trailhead Facilities

There are no trailhead facilities. I was very grateful for bringing my Kula Cloth with me on this trail.

You will find that many people will excuse themselves in the woods on this trial.

There are no garbage cans. All garbage packed in must be packed out.

Season to Visit

I recommend completing this trail between Late July and October.

In early summer, you should anticipate coming across large snow patches that require microspikes to cross on foot. However, the positive to some snow patches is the possibility to glisade down them on the hike out. Be sure to carry an ice axe with you and understand self-arresting in snow.

In late summer, there will still be small ice patches, but the wildflowers will be in full bloom in the open meadows.

While this trail can be completed in the winter months, sound knowledge of mountaineering and avalanche danger is required. The large avalanche shoots from the Sibley Creek drainage can become unstable quickly, especially in the shoulder season.

Passes/Permits

The only pass you need for this trail is an overnight permit if you’re staying AT Hidden Lake.

Once you reach the 6,600-foot saddle before the final climb to the historic fire lookout, you will have reached the border of North Cascades National Park. If you veer to the left, towards the lake, you will need a permit, which you can get at the Marblemount Ranger Station.

Once you continue to the lookout, you will be leaving the National Park behind and can stay in the lookout on a first-come, first-served basis.

NOTE: FCFS does not mean that you can lay claim to the lookout for yourself. If other people arrive and want to stay in the lookout, they can do so. When you arrive at the lookout, lay claim to your sleeping area by setting up your sleep system.

Related Read: Best Fire Lookouts in Washington

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What to Pack for Hidden Lake Lookout

Here are a couple of items I would suggest you bring with you if you plan to hike to Hidden Lake Lookout.

I last hiked this trail in July. There were still some patches of snow, but the air was dry, the sun was hot, and water sources were questionable.

• Sunscreen: At such a high altitude, sunscreen is a must. I reapplied my ThinkSport sunscreen frequently.
• Sunshirt: I typically hike in a sunshirt. My favorite is the Backcountry Tahoe Sunshirt.
• Water/Water Filter: I typically bring my HydraPak Flux+ with me so I can filter water on the trail, along with a Nalgene filled with electrolytes.
• Hiking Pants: Some portions of this trail were overgrown. If you want to limit skin abrasions, hiking pants are the best!
• Hiking Poles: As a hiking pole girly, I no longer hike without my Black Diamond Shock Pursuit hiking poles.
• Hiking Boots: A sturdy hiking boot is recommended for this trial. The rocky terrain can be tough on the bottom of your feet. Something with good traction will help with the scrambling portion of the trial. I love my Oboz Bridgers.
• GPS Device: This trail is tough and at points treacherous. Bring a GPS Device in case of emergencies. I always bring my Garmin InReach Mini on trips.
• Extra Layers: Even on a sunny day, the weather can change rapidly. Bring a micropuff jacket and a rain jacket just in case.
• AllTrails Subscription: Some of the route-finding along this trail can be difficult. I use AllTrail Premium so I can download the offline map and use it while I am hiking.

For a complete list of hiking gear items, check out this post.

Related Read: Best Snoqualmie Pass Lookout – Granite Mountain

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Hiking to Hidden Lake Lookout

IMO, Hidden Lake Lookout is one of the most impressive fire lookouts in Washington. Due to the high elevation gain and grade of this trial, I tried to pack light.

You can expect to see plenty of people backpacking along this trail, as well as day hikers. During the times I completed this trail, I did not see a single trail runner.

Here is a detailed breakdown of what you can expect while hiking to the lookout.

Dense Forest

When you get to the Hidden Lake Lookout Trailhead, there is space for about 15 cars. On the weekend, you will want to get to the trailhead relatively early to secure a spot, but mid-week, you won’t have too much trouble getting a parking spot. There is a large trail sign with information about food storage, local flora and fauna, and information on permits for staying overnight in the area.

The initial part of the trail is a great place to get your heart pumping. You will begin in a dense forest section with lush greenery and small streams. Take some big steps over boulders and enjoy the only shaded spot along the trail.

As you hike through the forest, you will eventually reach a boardwalk, which will take you to the valley of Sibley Creek. The boardwalk is in good condition, and we made quick work of this section of the trail. Once you step off the boardwalk, you exit the forest and find yourself surrounded by jutting mountain peaks.

Wildflower Meadows

The open meadows are beautiful in late summer. By late summer, the slide alder, white yarrow, and false hellebore are towering along the sides of the trail. You will find small patches of indian paintbrush and glacier lilies as well. Here you will be surrounded by the tall peaks of The Triad, Eldorado Peak, and Johannesburg Mountain.

This section is mainly comprised of switchbacks, so you can make it up to the rocky cliffs above. You will cross over Sibley Creek twice in this section. If you’re bringing a water filter on the trail, the first large stream crossing is a great place to fill up on water before continuing your ascent along the trail. We stopped here, and I was so glad to start this next section of the trail with fresh, cold, and delicious stream water!

With the plants overgrown, we found ourselves pushing past loads of brush. There were points along the trail in which we couldn’t see each other because the plants were so tall!

While the dirt path on this section was nice, the grade of this section was all over the place. Some parts of this section were a gentle grade, while other sections felt like I was crawling vertically up the trail. There were also some pretty eroded sections on this part of the trail. The loose dirt was even crumbling away as we walked across it.

If you could refrain from stabbing your trekking poles into this part of the trail to minimize weathering, that would be helpful!

In this part of the trail, we were blessed with some marmots! They were lounging and sunning themselves on the large boulders close to the top of the rocky traverse.

Rocky Slope and Switchbacks

Once you get to the top of the Wildflower Meadows, you will be leaving the greenery behind in exchange for high alpine heather and blueberries crawling across the rocks.

The first part of this section is truly the only semi-level part of the trail. We took our first real break in this section when we found a large boulder overlooking the valley. Here we could see Snowking Mountain and Eldorado Peak along with Eldorado Glacier. The fresh snow was mostly melted away, so the brilliant blue of the glaciers was visible.

There are some small creeks on this section of the trail, but they would be challenging to filter water from if you’re using something like a Sawyer Squeeze or other filter with a small opening.

Next, you begin hiking towards the Hidden Lake Saddle and pass small tarns, trek up sharp switchbacks, and see incredible views of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan. Surprisingly, we didn’t have any problems with mosquitoes during this section of the trail.

About a half mile from the lookout, you get a glimpse of the small lookout for the first time, resting on rocky spires. It honestly feels intimidating that you’re only 0.5 miles from the base of the lookout, but it looks miles away. Can you spot the lookout in the photo above?

Saddle

When you make it to the saddle after another 0.5 miles, you’ve reached the rocky slopes overlooking Hidden Lake.

We did several snow patch crossings here. We mostly followed the foot paths already in the snow, but there were a few times we post-holed and wished we had just walked around.

To your left, you will see the gorgeous, deep blue waters of Hidden Lake. There is no true path down to the lake, so anyone with permits to stay at the lake will have to follow a hard-to-follow foot path. Good luck!

Here you will also see the sign indicating you’ve entered North Cascades National Park. While you may be eager to get to the lookout, which is only a quick 10-20 minute scramble to the top, I urge you to take some time to appreciate the beauty of this view of Hidden Lake.

In the distance, you might be able to see Boston Glacier and Forbidden Glacier tucked on either side of the pass of Forbidden Peak.

Scramble to Hidden Lake Lookout

The scramble to Hidden Lake Lookout is a fun one! There is a small foot path on your right that you will follow, which will bring you up a number of switchbacks before you need to start bouldering.

The foot path can be seen on the AllTrails Map for this trail, which is why I pay for AllTrails Premium.

If you find yourself in an uncomfortable position while making your way up to the lookout, backtrack and find a different route. Try to identify a bootpath or disturbance that you can follow on the way up.

Once you reach the lookout, you will be blown away by the incredible 360-degree views!

The Lookout

When we arrived at the lookout, we found ourselves a nice, flat boulder to relax on and eat lunch. We, of course, needed to reapply sunscreen. There were a handful of people resting on various boulders surrounding the lookout.

After a much-needed break, we took some time to explore the lookout. The lookout was built in 1932 but was decommissioned in 1953. The Skagit Alpine Club maintained the lookout beginning in 1960, before working on Park Butte in 1980.

There is a lot to look at in this incredible lookout, so even if you’re not staying in the actual lookout, it is worth taking a look inside.

You can walk around the exterior of the lookout to take in all of the views before heading back down.

Related Read: Hiking to West and Oregon Butte

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Staying in Hidden Lake Lookout

Staying in Hidden Lake Lookout is an incredible experience for those who dare to hike to the top! When staying in a fire lookout, you will still want to bring ALL of your backpacking gear just in case you cannot snag a spot inside the lookout. When I stayed in Park Butte, I was one of eleven people crammed inside the lookout.

The lookout is first-come, first-served, not first-come, only-served.

Part of any good outdoor adventure is meeting people along the way, so you may be sharing the lookout with a stranger or two or ten.

Here are some tips for staying in Hidden Lake Lookout:

1. Check Availability: Before committing to staying in a fire lookout, make sure the lookout is available. This WTA Guide covers all open-to-the-public fire lookouts.
2. Start Early: If you want to guarantee yourself a spot inside the lookout, try to start the trail as early as possible.
3. Layout Your Spot: When you get to the lookout, lay out your sleep system to claim the area you want to sleep. Even if your stuff is in the lookout, someone could lay down their gear before you lay claim to where you wanted to sleep. Don’t let them!
4. Go Mid-Week: Weekends tend to be busier. However, in the summer months, it is unlikely that you will have the trail to yourself. But you might have the lookout to yourself.
5. Refill Water Before the Saddle: There is NO WATER ACCESS once you pass the last of the small tarns. You can melt snow to drink, but you will still have to climb down to get it. To avoid lots of ups and downs, try to stock up beforehand.
6. Bring Essentials: You will still want to bring a warm sleeping bag(my fav is the Spark) and sleeping pad for staying in a lookout, along with the rest of your backpacking gear.
7. Bring Entertainment: Getting there early could mean lots of downtime; bring a Kindle or a game. Two of my favorite backpacking games are “The Game” and Phase 10.
8. Pack a Jacket: Regardless of whether you’re staying in the height of summer, bring a puffy jacket. Temperatures can drop at that elevation.
9. Plan to Poop: There is a pit toilet set up at this lookout, hidden in the surrounding rocks. Bring the appropriate toilet paper for a sanitary poop.

Read Next: Hiking to Mount Pilchuck

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Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about the Hidden Lake Lookout Trail in Washington.

Can you stay at Hidden Lake Lookout?

Yes, you can stay in Hidden Lake Lookout on a first-come, first-served basis. This is one of six FCFS lookouts in Washington. Staying in the lookout is free, but there is a recommended donation of $15 a night. You can make this donation to the Mount Baker Ranger District.

If you want to stay in the lookout, I suggest going mid-week and starting early! While you might still be sharing the lookout with others, you will at least be able to pick your spot before everyone else.

How long is the Hidden Lake Lookout hike?

The hike is about 8 miles, but expect the hike to take around 6 hours or more to complete.

What Washington Lookouts can you stay in?

There are six First-Come, First-Served Lookouts in Washington that you can stay in: Burley Mountain, Mount Pilchuck, Three Fingers, Park Butte, Winchester Mountain, and Hidden Lake Lookout.

However, there are plenty of other lookouts in Washington that you can either visit or rent for a fee.

Some of my favorite lookouts that you can visit but not stay in are Mount Fremont Lookout, Green Mountain, and West Butte.

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Should Hidden Lake Lookout be a “100 Classic Hikes of Washington”?

I am hiking all 100 Classic Hikes of Washington (Third Edition) by Craig Romano. This trail guide has some of the most unique, jaw-dropping trails all across the state of Washington!

When I set out on this adventure to hike all of the trails in the book, I had just moved to Washington and was looking to find the best trails I could.

So the question is, should Hidden Lake Lookout be included as a 100 Classic Hike of Washington?

In my opinion, yes! Hidden Lake Lookout should be a 100 Classic Hike of Washington! Hidden Lake Lookout is such a unique trail, and any trail with a fire lookout is incredible. This historic site is breathtaking, and anyone hoping to have their breath taken away should do it!

This is one of the trails that I finished and immediately thought of people I wanted to hike to the lookout with next time.

To start your own “100 Classic Hike” adventure, you can purchase the trail guide here.

Find all of my 100 Classic Hike Guides Here!

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Pack it up

Before heading out on the trail, always check the trail, weather, and road conditions. My favorite place to check user-generated trail conditions is by checking Washington Trails Association (WTA.org). People tend to leave thorough reviews of the trail in real time.

This trail is fantastic and worth every drop of sweat.

Have questions about the trail? Drop them in the comments!