Trappers Peak

Dogs No Dogs

Features Fall Colors · Lake · Views

This trail is a great extension to a backpack trip to Thornton Lake and is a true gem in the North Cascades. The route up to Trappers Peak leaves the Thornton Lakes Trail near the ridge that you crest before descending to Thornton Lakes. The route is narrow, overgrown and hard to follow at times.

The trail starts by ascending through alpine meadows before gaining a narrow ridge. After gaining the ridge, the route steepens and becomes rockier. Some scrambling is required, and a fall could be quite dangerous in some places. Continue past a small tarn and onto the summit of Trappers Peak.

The view from Trappers Peak is stellar. You can see all the Thornton Lakes below, including the upper two tucked in a higher basin. The Picket Range towers to the north, seen as spiny peaks with impressive glaciers. Enjoy the views of Mt. Triumph to the northwest and the Skagit River to the southwest.