Short Hikes: Stevens Pass Greenway
Sharing a few favorites posted recently to SnohomishTalk
Just thought I’d share a piece I wrote for SnohomishTalk, highlighting some easy walks and shorter hikes accessed from U.S. Highway 2 between Monroe and Stevens Pass. These and a gaggle-plus of others are described in detail in the third edition of Hiking Snohomish County relased last fall. The guide includes the harder ones too, in case you’re craving a good workout. Keep in mind some of these places can be quite popular when the weather’s nice. It never hurts to persuade, cajole or bribe your party into a super-early start. The promise of a bakery/coffee stop in Monroe or Sultan just might do the trick.
By the way, major themes along the Stevens Pass Greenway include wilderness, waterfalls and railroads—an odd compilation perhaps. The latter, choo-choo trains, the Great Northern R/R in particular, present an exceedingly rich history along the corridor. If that’s your interest, don’t miss the stops at the historic railroad town of Skykomish, with a museum and free mini-train ride on Saturdays in summer; or the Iron Goat Trailhead at Scenic, where a short, steep hike leads to the historic GNRR grade at Windy Point. Near Stevens Pass, watch for the old highway to Wellington (access westbound), also part of the Iron Goat Trail, and the 1910 site of the worst avalanche disaster in U.S. history.
On a happier note, the big view from Frog Mountain northeast of Index is a celebration of both wilderness and volunteer spirit. The trail was completed in 2023 after thousands of hours of effort by countless volunteers.
Here’s the article in SnohomishTalk.
