Name: Cowlitz Divide Trail
Rating: 3.0

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Features River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This trail holds snow later into the season than you might expect and is difficult to navigate when snow covers the trail. Generally good to go sometime in July through October. This is a quiet trail when the park is busy and you'll generally have it to yourself.

Description

Begin either at the Silver Falls Parking area and then backtracking along the Silver Falls Loop trail to reach the beginning of the Cowlitz Divide trail or drive 0.6 miles past the Stevens Canyon Entrance to a small parking pullout on the right.

If you begin on the Silver Falls Loop trail, you'll reach a signed junction after 0.5 miles and then will gradually climb up some nice forested singletrack for 0.3 miles to reach the road. Cross the road to continue up the Cowlitz Divide Trail. The trail weaves in and out of small meadows and forests while maintaining a steady grade.

A few short switchback sections will bring you to the junction for the Olallie Creek campground after 2.6 miles. Right after the campground spur trail you'll cross Olallie Creek and then after 4 miles of climbing you'll reach the Wonderland Trail on a wooded ridge. Views of the mountain are heavily obscured and if you want a great vista, continue north on the Wonderland Trail towards Indian Bar and the views will get better and better until you reach a great viewpoint about 3 miles up the ridge.