North Cascades Region Hiking

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Beautiful Fall Colors along the Cutthroat Pass Trail

Parent Category: North Cascades
in Hiking
Created: 01 June 2018

 

Location:  North Cascades Highway 20, Washington.
Roundtrip:  10 miles
Difficulty:  Moderate
Elevation Gain:  2300 feet 
Highest Point:  6800 feet
GPS Coordinates:  N 48 33.381  W 120 39.284
Visitor’s Information:

 Dogs are allowed on a leash on the trail
 Parking pass / entering fee 

Pictures below will take you on a virtual hiking tour along Cuttroat Pass Trail in the North Cascades. Soak up the beauty of our beloved Washington State!

What can you say about a beautiful fall hiking? Of course, every season is lovely in Washington.  Hiking through the fascinating forest in the fall is very relaxing indeed. It’s a nice experience to get stunning panoramic views of the mountains.

Photo taken from Cutthroat Pass Trail in the North Cascades,Washington state

Enjoy amazing fall colors and breathe in refreshing mountain air. If you are planning to hike during the fall that Cutthroat Pass Trail is a wonderful alpine trail to do it. There is a parking area with lots of space at the trailhead and a vaulted toilet there. 

 General Information:

Take a spectacular hike along the Pacific Crest Trail from Rainy Pass to Cutthroat Pass in the North Cascades.  It’s a quite moderate out and back trail with a breathtaking North Cascades scenery at the top. The trail also features a lake, Cutthroat lake which is nestled below Cutthroat Pass surrounded by towering peaks.  

Photo taken from Cutthroat Pass Trail in the North Cascades,Washington state

You start your trip through the dense forest enjoying a peaceful atmosphere and soothing nature sounds. You can even find a small cascade at a stream crossing. There are lots of fallen trees there which make this place magical. 

Take a break before heading up to the pass. We recommend taking plenty of water with you and put on your sturdy shoes which are best for hiking in the mountains. Our team hiked the trail on a sunny October day. Of course, mountain terrain is fantastic at any time, but it’s truly remarkable to see how amazing alpine trees turn their color in the fall.

It’s an awesome hike to see infinite number of the golden larches and splendid views.There was a little snow on the trail. Along the way we encountered lots of large granite boulders scattered along the slopes of the mountains and colorful shrubs under the fall sun. The colors of the larch trees were changing while we were hiking. It’s thrilling! The switchbacks were long but with majestic views of the surrounding mountains and the clear sky.

Photo taken from Cutthroat Pass Trail in the North Cascades,Washington state

What else can you dream about in the fall? Hiking to Cutthroat Pass Trail is a nice opportunity to explore numerous peaks in Washington State and get a memorable experience taking in the beauty of nature. The trail offers a large variety of activities: hiking, backpacking, camping and photography. It seems that you can stay there for hours, days or even months gazing at jagged peaks from the top. 

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://beautifulwashington.com/north-cascades/hiking/551-cutthroat-pass-trail.html?tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=#sigProId99ca413cee

These pictures were taken on October 9, 2017

Driving Directions:

From Newhalem, drive east on the North Cascades Highway (Highway 20) for 37 miles to Rainy Pass. Turn left into the signed trailhead parking area on the north side of the road. Northwest Forest Pass required.

GPS Coordinates:N 48 33.381  W 120 39.284 

In order to get directions click on the map below:

 

  

Photo: Roman Khomlyak

Photo Editing: Juliana Voitsikhovska

Information: Olena Ukholova