Northeast of Bellingham WA and barely south of the Canadian border stands Mount Baker, a heavily glaciated volcano in the Cascade Mountains. Scroll through the pictures above for a glimpse of this area!
Mount Baker, at over 10,000 feet, is the 3rd largest in Washington state (#1 at over 14,000 feet is Mount Rainer – post here and #2 is Mount Adams at over 12,000).
The drive from Bellingham to Mount Baker is half the fun, so gas up the car. From Bellingham, scenic highway 542 stretches a mere 58 miles to the trailheads near Mount Baker, but it has more than its share of natural beauty and gentle sweeping turns as you work your way into the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Mt. Baker Wilderness have over 1500 miles of hiking trails so whether you’re looking for short hikes with modest elevation gains or longer hikes with loftier ascents there are trails for every type of hiker and plenty of reasons to return again and again.
HIKE #1 – PICTURE LAKE
Whether you’ve been here before or it’s your first time, stopping at Picture Lake, which offers a pretty reflective view of Mount Shuksan, should not be missed. The 0.5-mile walking path around the lake is flat and easy…a good thing when your face is glued to your phone trying for that Ansel Adams-like shot.
HIKE #2 – ARTIST RIDGE TRAIL
From Picture Lake it’s a quick drive to Artists Point, where several trails depart. For first timers, Artist Ridge Trail is popular. This easy 1.2 mile out and back trail only gains 200ft in elevation. Given snow conditions this trail is typically accessible only 3 months of the year, making it a bit crowded on a warmer sunny day like we had, but still worth it. As this mostly flat trail winds along the views changes from snow covered Mount Shuksan and the rocky outcropping surrounding it to the trees, grasses and flowers blanketing the valley below Mount Baker and its bare alpine flanks. Even the quick snaps I took walking along the trail capture the surreal surroundings as if pop up cardboard mountain cutouts were set just in front of us. Every view seemed postcard worthy!
Mt. Baker
HIKE #3 – TABLE MOUNTAIN
Doug hiked Table Mountain to take in the sunset. This trail also starts from Artist Point.
After a long afternoon of hiking (concluding with Doug’s hike to see sunset views with a headlamp assisted nighttime scramble back to the RV) we spent the night camping at the Salmon Ridge Sno-Park – just a few miles back down the mountain.
HIKE #4 – BAGLEY LAKES TRAIL
The next day we hiked Bagley Lakes Trail. This funny little trail along Bagley Creek has some boardwalk areas, a pretty stone bridge across the creek, and some rockier mountain-hugging ascents, but it’s a relatively easy trail that will ensure you get what you came for…plenty of trees, tall leafy stems with pops of flowers, a gurgling creek meandering between grassy banks, a larger lake with a mountain backdrop and even some opportunities for huckleberry picking along the trail. The cooler weather and overcast skies did not affect the clarity of the scene. In fact, in some ways it made the colors seem more vibrant and the plants seem more alive. I felt like I should be dressed like the Swiss Miss girl and yodeling.
This is one of my favorite hikes to date and I don’t think you can take a bad photo in the area!
On the drive out of the park, we stopped at Nooksack Falls before making the quick trip back to Bellingham, sad it was over, but so glad that we took the time to make the trip.
Much like Mount Hood and Mount Rainer, Mount Baker is a place for perspective. While it commands attention, it calms with its very magnitude – rendering mere humans of no consequence. It simultaneously provides a sense of wonder and reminds us to be humble, reason enough to make this trip.
