Rainy Pass Trailhead - Pacific Crest Trail - Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

When researching our September 2022 visit to North Cascades National Park, we noticed that the Rainy Lake Trail trailhead was near where the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT) crossed Washington Route 20, the North Cascades Scenic Highway. When we arrived at the turnoff for Rainy Lake, we noticed the PCT signs. After we finished our Rainy Lake hike, we strolled south on the PCT for a few hundred feet before turning around and returning to the trailhead.

PCT trail marker in lieu of a blaze

The PCT disappears into the woods

View north of an unnamed peak (7004' 1.9 miles)

View south of the unnamed mountains (6698' 1.2 miles) along the south end of Rainy Lake

A recreation pass is required for parking at the Rainy Pass trailhead. A five-dollar per vehicle per day Northwest Forest Pass can be purchased from a self-pay station provided at the trailhead. Any of the America the Beautiful passes may be used in lieu of payment. 

The National Forest Service website for the PCT is https://www.fs.usda.gov/pct.

Rainy Lake Trail #310 - Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

While planning our September 2022 visit to North Cascades National Park, we searched for easy hikes in the North Cascades area and the Rainy Lake Trail popped up near the top of the list. This is an ADA-compliant paved trail of 1.8 miles round trip in an out-and-back configuration. By my count, there are seven sturdy benches scattered along the 4800-foot elevation trail. While not in the park, this trail provided us with an opportunity to stretch our legs as we drove east to Winthrop.

The Rainy Lake Trail #310 trailhead and parking are located at mile marker 157.6 on the North Cascades Scenic Highway, also known as Washington Route 20. This is about 18.5 miles east of North Cascades National Park and Ross Lake National Recreation Area via the scenic highway. However, the road roughly parallels the park boundary and is less than two miles from the park at the Rainy Pass Picnic Area.

Trail specific information at the trailhead kiosk

Crossing the driveway to the trail

Rainy Lake Trail to the left

Typical trail conditions

Englemann Spruce

Mountain Hemlock

The only sunny part of the trail

Back into the forest

The bridge handrails have taken a treefall

Mossy Lichens

Second bridge

Stream that drains Lake Ann

Glimpse of Whistler Mountain (7790' 1.3 miles)

Trail reopened after a tree fell

Snow creep - not entirely resisting the downslope force of the snowpack

Pacific Silver Fir

Another bench

Ferns carpet the forest

End of the trail

An unnamed peak towers over the lake

Rainy Lake is a glacial cirque

Remnants of last winter's snow

Moraine dams up the lake

Another look at the bowl that nearly encircles the lake

The clear water suggests the lake is filled with snowmelt and not glacier fed

A last look

A recreation pass is required for parking. A five-dollar per vehicle per day Northwest Forest Pass can be purchased from a self-pay station provided at the trailhead. Any of the America the Beautiful passes may be used in lieu of payment. 

The forest webpage for Rainy Lake is https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/okawen/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=59385.

Gorge Overlook Trail - North Cascades National Park

The trailhead for the Gorge Overlook Trail is near mile 123.4 on the south side of the North Cascades Highway (Washington Route 20). Paved parking for about two dozen vehicles is available as well as a vault toilet. An accessible, paved trail zig-zags up a short incline to provide a view of an unnamed waterfall flowing into Gorge Creek. The paved trail continues a short distance to a couple of views of Gorge Lake before turning downstream to another overlook about 0.2 miles from the parking lot. Beyond the last overlook, the trail is a gravel surface that is not ADA compliant. From the second overlook back to the parking lot via the gravel trail is about 1600 feet. We hiked the complete loop during our September 2022 visit to North Cascades National Park.

Gorge High Dam from North Cascades Highway pullout at mile 122.9

A closer view

Trailhead interpretive display

Typical trail conditions for the accessible part of the trail

Waterfall flowing into Gorge Creek

My daughter taking in the view from the first overlook

Gorge Lake

Second overlook

Interpretive sign

Another view of Gorge Lake

Obstructed view of Gorge High Dam from the last overlook

Typical trail conditions beyond the pavement

Trailside boulder

Lots of trees

Switchback

Larger trailside rocks

Was a section of this rock removed to create the trail?

Returning to the parking lot

There is no entrance fee at North Cascades National Park.

The North Cascades National Park website is https://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm.