Name: Howlock Mountain Trail #1448
Rating: 3.0

“This trail provides access to the Mount Thielsen Wilderness and the PCT from the west.”

— Bruce Hope

Features River/Creek · Views

The usual wilderness area regulations and restrictions apply in the Mount Thielsen Wilderness. No permits are required, but please register at the trailhead. The Howlock Mountain Trail is usually closed—unless you ski or snowshoe—by snow from December to May.

Description

The trail passes through open stands of lodgepole pine for the first 3 miles. This section is used by horses and may be dusty. At 1 mile, the trail intersects with the Spruce Ridge Trail. At about 2 miles, you pass a large, grassy meadow, Timothy Meadow, off to the left.

Shortly after this, you enter Mt. Thielsen Wilderness. At 3.5 miles, the Thielsen Creek Trail #1449 intersects to the right. This is the last water you pass along the trail. At 5 miles, good views of Mt. Bailey and Mt. Thielsen become available as open meadows become more common. At 7 miles, the trail ends at a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail near timberline.