Park Butte Lookout view of Glacier Peak

@jesseroos

Washington

•

Mount Baker

Park Butte is one of the few remaining historic lookouts in the state of Washington. It has gorgeous views of Mt. Baker, the Twin Sisters, Puget Sound and other peaks of the Northern Cascades. And as evidenced from this lookout point, you'll also have views of Glacier Peak and various volcanoes. This lookout has always been one of my favorites, simply because the trail to reach the lookout is pretty moderate and the payoff is spectacular. You'll feel like you're on top of the world and the photographic potential is second-to-none!

Plan

Overview

Skill level

Moderate

Accessbility

Public Location

Hours

Anytime

Fee

Pack

Telephoto lens (200mm)
Tripod
Backpacking gear
Hiking attire
Water
Food
Snacks

How to get there

N48° 42' 48.4596"W121° 51' 02.1816"

To reach the Park Butte Lookout with a view of Glacier Peak, first begin hiking on a mellow trail through Schreiber's Meadow. After approximately one mile, the trail starts to gain elevation with some significant switchbacks up through a shaded forest. From there, you'll arrive at a mostly-flat alpine meadow and the mountain views will start to appear. In the meadow, the trail will eventually split with a path leading up toward the climber's camp — a respite for those looking to summit Mt. Baker via the Easton Glacier Route. Stick to the main trail and continue toward Park Butte. After approximately one mile, the trail to Park Butte will start to gain elevation again up a rocky ridge until you reach some tarns beneath Mt. Baker. This could be a great place to snap a few photos — just make sure not to leave the designated trail and crush any vegetation. From there, you have less than a mile left to the lookout. The trail continues up and around the side of a hill and meanders its way to the top. Before your final right, turn on the main trail that reveals a relatively straight path uphill to the Park Butte Lookout. From there, there'll be a small, unmarked trail that heads to the left and skirts along the ridge. After taking that, I continued on the path until there was an unobstructed view of Glacier Peak. Reference the GPS coordinates and you'll be lead to this view. Depending on your timing, it may be wise to drop your packs at a suitable campsite before making your way up to the lookout, as this is a very popular trail and it's often already occupied. Not to worry though, the campsites are also great and getting to stay anywhere up here is an amazing experience! Driving Directions: Plugging directions into your preferred navigation app to the trailhead should be relatively straightforward. Otherwise refer to these directions: - From Sedro-Woolley, travel east along State Highway 20 to County Road 11 - Take County Road 11 north to County Road 12 - Take County Road 13 to the trailhead at the end of the road