With excitement we awaited the arrival of the rest of our group. There would be five of us, friends and future friends, and a dog. The rain that had been drizzling throughout the morning was subsiding and turning to a lovely late August day in the Pacific Northwest. The forested trailhead was beginning to fill with vehicles as we waited patiently. It was near mid-afternoon by the time everyone had arrived, finished packing up, and were ready to hoist their backpacks and begin the uphill climb into one of Washington’s most beautiful wilderness areas, the Goat Rocks Wilderness.

From forests to ridgetops, the Goat Rocks Wilderness offers a wide variety of ecosystems that hikers can explore.

The Goat Rocks Wilderness

The Goat Rocks Wilderness, in southern Washington, is one of the most scenic in the state. It includes beautiful forests, meadows, lakes, ridges, remnants of a large volcano, wildlife, and breathtaking views of the Cascades. The wilderness has 120 miles of trails, including one of the most beautiful sections of the Pacific Crest Trail.

As we climbed, the forest was a vibrant green. Moss clung to the trees. There were small puddles on the trail from the morning precipitation and pine needles softened the tread. The trail was in excellent condition, but the climb felt steep. The views began to open up as we followed along Goat Ridge, including meadows and nearby tree-covered hills. Clouds mostly hid the distant views but were moving quickly providing occasional glimpses of the scenery sometimes many miles away, and other times only a short distance across the dramatic canyon right beside us. It felt like watching a timelapse movie in real-time.

We could hear marmots chirping in the talus fields down below. The sun briefly broke through the clouds. The climb continued through a scenic basin. Above us, rocky cliffs protruded from a carpet of lush green vegetation along a dramatic mountainside. At the top of the ridge we looked down the beautiful drainage and saw other mountains on the horizon. There were several campsites nearby, but we had time to continue on.

We decided to take a side trip to a viewpoint. To the south, there was a dramatic view of snow-covered Mount Adams towering over Goat Ridge from over twenty miles away. The fog quickly blew in and we abandoned the trek to what would likely be a viewless viewpoint. The Lily Basin Trail traversed peacefully toward Goat Lake and we treasured additional views of Mount Adams and the swirling clouds below its summit.

Goat Lake was a beautiful green and rimmed with cliffs nearly all the way around. There were many people camped nearby and after some searching we found a beautiful campsite that could fit our three tents. As darkness began to settle, we could still peer out from our tents and enjoy a view of Mount Adams.

In the morning, we awoke to fog and limited visibility. As the sun briefly shined through the white, mountain goats of Goat Rocks Wilderness fame munched on grass and flowers on the mountainside below. Nearby, Goat Lake’s outlet peacefully cascaded into a small waterfall as we filtered water. We hiked along the basin, the clouds began to move and the sights in the basin became visible. Beside the trail, there was snowgrass, and the seed heads of the western pasque flower that the backpacking loop is named after.

Back on the trail, soon we joined the famous Pacific Crest Trail and started heading southbound. We hoped to find a campsite near the trail but there were few options. I scanned the map and what appeared to be a higher basin about a half mile from the PCT. I went to scout it out and discovered that it would be a wonderful place to camp.

There was a stream flowing through the basin, rugged ridgelines all around, and a stunning view of Mount Adams. We set up our tents near a large rock that we hoped would provide shelter if it became windy during the night. It was still fairly early in the day and we hiked along a grassy ridge to an off-trail pass above the basin. There was a glacier on the other side and a view of orangish Tieton Peak.

Back at camp, we enjoyed the evening views and cooked food on top of the large rock. Several others set up camp nearby. Late evening exploration revealed a view of Mount St. Helens. With darkness and a nearly cloudless night, the Milky Way rose above Mount Adams. The campsite was so nice that we decided to use it as a basecamp the next day and complete a day hike.

The morning was filled with blue skies as we enjoyed fresh Huckleberry jam. We briefly retraced our steps on the PCT and then continued through meadows with abundant views. The trail became rockier and we could see down to where we had camped at Goat Lake a couple nights before. A glimpse of Mount Rainier was visible above the ridge, but clouds hid its summit.

The trail had a well-worn path across a glacier. At the next ridge, there was a spectacular view of Mount Rainier and an expansive green valley below us. We turned off the PCT for a climb to one of the most popular peaks in the wilderness, Old Snowy. The trail was steep and rocky, but the views improved with nearly every step. Nearly all the surroundings from the adventure were visible from a distance: Goat Lake, Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Rainier. Only Mount Rainier was partially in the clouds.

We met a hiker who had thru-hiked the PCT the previous year who had come back to experience these views as he had hiked the Goat Rocks in near white-out conditions. We were grateful for the opportunity to experience this wilderness on such a nice day. There was a brief section of scrambling to reach the summit of Old Snowy. We talked with other hikers at the top and experienced the panoramic views.

The Descent and Back to the Trailhead

On the descent, we took the trail down the Knife Edge, a narrow ridge connecting back to the PCT. The PCT heading northbound was visible traveling along the ridge into nearly endless beauty, but we needed to turn around and head back to camp. Connecting back to our previous route, involved a couple additional glacier crossings. These were steeper than the glacier we traversed earlier but we made it across without incident. It was a pleasant hike back to camp. In the evening we played card games by firelight, and told stories.

The next morning, we packed up camp and began our journey back to the trailhead. The mountain views were soon in our past as we entered majestic forests and heard the sounds of rushing waterfalls, a nice way to end a trip. During our trip we experienced just a small sample of the wonders that can be found in the Goat Rocks, and our adventure serves as an inspiration to return, to explore further, and to experience more of the wonders that this wilderness has to offer.

Need to Know

Information

We hiked the Snowgrass Flats and Goat Lake loop, one of the most popular loops in the wilderness with a side trip to Old Snowy. The loop by itself is twelve miles and can be completed as a day-hike but the experience of camping in such a beautiful area makes backpacking worth it. In total our adventure was about 30 miles. There are options for other loops in the wilderness or a linear route on the PCT. Self-issued permits are available at the trailhead. This is a popular area and will likely be crowded on summer weekends.

Best Time to Go

Late July and August to avoid snow and see wildflowers. Early September to avoid mosquitoes.

Getting There

Flights available to Seattle or Portland. From I-5 south of Seattle take Exit 68 and head east on US 12 about 62 miles to Forest Road 21. Turn right and continue 12.5 miles to Forest Road 2150. Continue 2.5 miles and keep right on 2150/040. Quickly turn right on 2150/405 to arrive at the Snowgrass Flats Trailhead or go left to reach the Berry Patch Trailhead.

Maps and Books

There are many books and resources that describe hiking in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. Backpacking Washington: Overnight and Multiday Routes is one book worth looking at. Maps include the Green Trails Goat Rocks map as well as Trails Illustrated 823. For getting to and from the trailhead, the Washington Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer can be helpful.

Editor's Note: This article by contributor Eric Moll originally appeared in Issue 54 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.