Green Mountain Trail
Basic Information: |
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| Type: | Day Hike - Out and Back |
| Distance (Total): | 8.0 miles / 12.9 km |
| Elevation Gain: | 3,000 feet / 914 meters |
| Minimum Elevation: | 3,500 feet / 1,067 meters |
| Maximum Elevation: | 6,500 feet / 1,981 meters |
| Hiking Season: | - Summer - Fall |
| Things To See: | - Glacier - Historic Site - Lake Views - Meadows - Mountain Views - Wildflowers - Wildlife - Woods |
| Difficulty: | Strenuous |
| Rating: | Trail has not been rated. |
| Nearby Town: | Darrington, Washington, United States |
Description: |
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The trail climbs moderately steep through old-growth timber for the first mile before breaking out in to the large meadows, which gives the mountain its name. By July, the meadows are alive with every kind of flower imaginable, making it one of the loveliest trails in the North Cascades. The trail enters the Glacier Peak Wilderness after 1.0 mile.
After 2.5 miles, you descend to a pair of small tarns (lakes). A backcountry toilet is located here. Please camp only at existing sites (designated by fire-rings) below the tarns. The last mile is very steep, with switchbacks. Marmots live on these high grassy slopes and send out their alarm whistle, warning other marmots of your presence.
The lookout, built in 1933, is listed on the National Register of Historical Places. On a clear day, the view from the top is breathtaking. Views extend to the north past Mt. Baker into Canada, east across to Glacier Peak, to the south a string of snowcapped giants and finally to the west to the Puget Sound.