The Mountain Loop Highway runs 55 miles through the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest between Granite Falls and Darrington, paved at both ends with 14 miles of single-lane gravel over Barlow Pass in the middle. Most of its busiest day hikes, including Heather Lake, Lake 22, Mount Pilchuck and the Big Four Ice Caves, start on the paved Granite Falls side within 15 miles of the Verlot Public Service Center.
Updated September 2026
Quick facts
- Where: Snohomish County, from Granite Falls east to Barlow Pass, then north to Darrington
- Drive from Seattle: about 75 minutes to Heather Lake, 90 minutes to Big Four and 105 minutes to Barlow Pass
- Fee or pass: Northwest Forest Pass ($5 a day or $30 a year) or America the Beautiful ($80) at 8 Forest Service fee sites; Discover Pass at Ashland Lakes
- Season: the Granite Falls side is open all year to the Deer Creek gate; the full loop usually opens from late spring through fall
- Hours: Verlot Public Service Center, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday to Monday through Oct. 31, then Friday and Saturday to Dec. 12
- Dogs: allowed on leash on every hike on this page
- Official site: Mountain Loop Scenic Byway (Forest Service)
Granite Falls to Darrington
Granite Falls is the west end. The highway runs 11 miles east to Verlot, then up the South Fork Stillaguamish River valley to Barlow Pass, 19.4 miles past Verlot.
At Barlow Pass the pavement ends. The road turns north as 14 miles of single-lane gravel, picks up pavement again at the White Chuck River Road junction, and ends in Darrington on SR 530.
The Forest Service lists it as National Forest Road 20. The distances below come from its trailhead directions, measured from the Verlot Public Service Center.
| Stop | Miles from Verlot | Access to |
|---|---|---|
| Granite Falls | 11 west | West end |
| Tupso Pass Road (FS 41) | 3.9 west | Three Fingers |
| Verlot Public Service Center | 0 | Passes, maps, campground |
| Mount Pilchuck Road (FS 42) | 1 east | Heather Lake (1.5 miles up), Mount Pilchuck (6.9 miles up) |
| Lake 22 trailhead | 2 east | Lake 22 |
| Gold Basin Campground | about 2 east | 38 campsites |
| Forest Road 4020 | about 4.7 east | Ashland Lakes |
| Big Four Picnic Area | 14.5 east | Big Four Ice Caves |
| Sunrise Mine Road (FS 4065) | 17.1 east | Vesper Peak (2.2 miles up) |
| Barlow Pass | 19.4 east | Gothic Basin; gravel starts |
The gravel section past Barlow Pass
The 14 miles between Barlow Pass and the White Chuck River Road junction are single-lane gravel, passing Bedal Campground and the Goat Lake turnoff.
Snow sits at Barlow Pass into late spring, so the Forest Service says the full loop is usually a late spring to fall drive. This section is gated in winter and opens last.
My advice: skip the gravel on a day-hike trip. Every pick here except Boulder River starts on the Granite Falls side or at Barlow Pass, and Boulder River is off SR 530 near Darrington.
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Verlot Public Service Center
The Civilian Conservation Corps built the Verlot Public Service Center, 11 miles east of Granite Falls, between 1933 and 1942. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Stop here for a Northwest Forest Pass, a map, or current snow and road conditions. The Verlot office page posts fall hours without a year: Friday to Monday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a half-hour lunch closure at noon, through October 31.
From November 1 to December 12 it opens Friday and Saturday only, then closes for the season. Call (360) 691-7791; on weekdays, the Darrington Ranger Station answers at (360) 436-1155.
Hikes and stops along the highway
The picks run east from Verlot, then out to Three Fingers on its own side road and Boulder River near Darrington.
Granite Falls: Lime Kiln Trail
Lime Kiln Trail (Robe Canyon)
Photo: Old Robe Trail by Gamuru, Public domain, resized
7.0 mi · 625 ft · Moderate
The Lime Kiln Trail starts on Waite Mill Road in Granite Falls and drops through Robe Canyon to the South Fork Stillaguamish, where a moss-covered lime kiln, used from the 1890s to the 1930s, stands beside the old railway grade. Its low elevation, 750 feet at the high point, makes it a year-round walk. The separate Old Robe Canyon Trail, which starts on the Mountain Loop Highway, is closed past a rockslide at 1.1 miles.
Near Verlot: Heather Lake, Lake 22 and Mount Pilchuck
Heather Lake
Photo: Heather Lake and Mount Pilchuck, Snohomish County, Washington (2026) by Iiii I I I, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized
5.0 mi · 1,034 ft · Moderate
Heather Lake sits under the cliffs of Mount Pilchuck, and the Forest Service calls it popular in every month. The lot was expanded in 2023 and cars still spill onto Mount Pilchuck Road on summer weekends, so arrive by 9 in the morning and never park near the private homes. Avalanches can reach the basin in winter and spring.
Lake 22
Photo: Lake 22 - Flickr - brewbooks by brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, resized
5.4 mi · 1,350 ft · Moderate
A 1-mile trail circles the lake below the north face of Mount Pilchuck; camping and campfires are banned in the surrounding research natural area. The lot holds about 50 cars, so be parked before 8 in the morning on summer and fall weekends. Stay off the boulder field above the lake, where hikers have died.
Mount Pilchuck Lookout
Photo: Mount Pilchuck 9176 by Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0, resized
5.4 mi · 2,300 ft · Hard
The trailhead is 6.9 miles up Mount Pilchuck Road, and snow usually covers the route until midsummer. The last pitch is a boulder scramble that gets hard when wet or icy. The road gets gated at Heather Lake in late fall (October 29 in 2025), so go soon.
Ashland Lakes on Forest Road 4020
Ashland Lakes
5.4 mi · 800 ft · Moderate
Park here with a Discover Pass: the trailhead is in the state DNR Morning Star Natural Resources Conservation Area, and a Northwest Forest Pass does not cover it. Boardwalks cross the bogs to first-come campsites at Beaver Plant Lake and the Ashland lakes, and the trail on to Twin Falls Lake is closed by a failed bridge.
Big Four Ice Caves
Big Four Ice Caves
Photo: Big Four Ice Cave - Flickr - brewbooks by brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, resized
2.2 mi · 220 ft · Easy
The trail ends at a viewpoint below the caves, which usually show from mid-July through October as the avalanche snow melts. Stay out of the caves and off the snow in front of them; ice and rock fall all year, and collapses killed visitors in 1998, 2010 and 2015. Read our hiking safety basics before you take kids.
Barlow Pass and Sunrise Mine Road: Gothic Basin and Vesper Peak
Gothic Basin
Photo: Gothic Basin, Cascades, WA by Abhinaba Basu, CC BY 2.0, cropped and resized
9.2 mi · 2,840 ft · Very hard
From the Barlow Pass lot, walk the closed Monte Cristo road about 0.7 mile to the Weden Creek trail. It crosses 3 creek gullies with waterfalls where early-season snow bridges can collapse, so aim for late July to early October and arrive early on summer weekends.
Vesper Peak
Photo: Vesper Peak from the trail by Buidhe, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized
8.0 mi · 4,000 ft · Very hard
Sunrise Mine Road climbs 2.2 miles to the trailhead, and the Forest Service warns of a very difficult ford of the South Fork Stillaguamish at 0.5 mile. The chute below Headlee Pass is known for falling rock, and the granite slabs above Vesper Lake are for dry days from late July on.
Past Barlow Pass: Goat Lake
Goat Lake
Photo: Looking west on Goat Lake (4611905621) by brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, resized
10.4 mi · 1,400 ft · Hard
From Barlow Pass, drive 3.5 miles on single-lane gravel and turn right at the sign for Elliot and Goat Lakes (FS 4080), then go 0.8 mile to the lot. The lake is 5.2 miles up the Elliott Creek trail, with a big waterfall near its outlet. The lot fills by midmorning on summer weekends, and the trailhead is cashless, so bring a Northwest Forest Pass or pay with Recreation.gov Scan and Pay.
Three Fingers Lookout on Tupso Pass Road
Three Fingers Lookout
Photo: View from Three Fingers lookout SE by Wilderness trespasser, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized
31.0 mi · 5,600 ft · Very hard
Check access
Tupso Pass Road leaves the highway 3.9 miles west of Verlot, and cars stop at the South Fork Canyon Creek bridge, 8 miles below the old trailhead, so most people walk or bike the road and camp at Goat Flats. WTA reported a winter closure at the Forest Road 4110 junction from September 28, 2026, so check the road table first. The last half mile, with 3 ladders, needs climbing gear and experience.
Near Darrington: Boulder River
Boulder River
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Photo: Boulder River waterfall by BlueCanoe, CC BY-SA 3.0, resized
8.6 mi · 1,000 ft · Hard
Boulder River is off SR 530, 8.2 miles west of Darrington, then 3.7 miles up French Creek Road. The trail stays low enough to hike all year, and the waterfalls on the far canyon wall at 1.2 miles make a good turnaround. No parking pass is needed.
Other Forest Service trails on the road include Mount Dickerman, Barlow Point Trail 709, the Old Monte Cristo Townsite Trail, Goat Lake on Elliot Creek Trail 647 near Bedal, and the Old Sauk Trail 728 near Darrington.
Northwest Forest Pass and other parking passes
The Forest Service charges a day-use fee at 8 sites on the highway: Heather Lake, Mount Pilchuck, Lake 22, Hemple Creek Picnic Area, Big Four, Dickerman-Perry, Barlow Pass and the White Chuck Boat Launch.
A Northwest Forest Pass ($5 a day or $30 a year) or an America the Beautiful pass ($80) covers all 8, or you can buy a digital day pass in the Recreation.gov app at the trailhead. The Discover Pass is not valid at Forest Service fee sites.
Ashland Lakes, a state DNR trailhead, is the exception: the Morning Star NRCA page requires a Discover Pass ($10 a day or $45 a year). Three Fingers and Boulder River list no fee. Our Washington hiking passes guide lists where to buy each one.
Crowds and parking
A 2023 WTA trail plan for the Mountain Loop rates Heather Lake, Lake 22, Mount Pilchuck and the Big Four Ice Caves as the 4 extra heavy use trails on the south end, and it says Lake 22 overflow parks on the highway shoulder.
Snohomish County said in 2024 that the highway sees up to 200 cars a day on summer weekends. Go on a weekday if you can. On a weekend, be parked at Lake 22 or Heather Lake before 8 a.m., or pick Ashland Lakes or Boulder River.
Mountain Loop Highway camping
Heading east from Verlot, the Forest Service campgrounds are Turlo, Verlot, Gold Basin, Red Bridge, Bedal and Clear Creek, plus 5 group camps between Gold Basin and Big Four.
Verlot Campground, across from the service center, has 23 reservable sites with drinking water and flush toilets. Gold Basin has 38 sites, 16 of them first-come, first-served, and no drinking water. Both list a May to September season; reserve on Recreation.gov.
The winter gate and when the highway opens
Each winter the highway closes to cars between the Deer Creek gate on the west side and the Bedal gate on the east side. Deer Creek is a few miles below Big Four, so Verlot, Heather Lake and Lake 22 stay reachable from Granite Falls, snow permitting.
Closure dates vary with snowfall: December 3 in 2021, November 9 in 2022 and November 22 in 2024. Mount Pilchuck Road closes at the Heather Lake gate in late fall; in 2025 that was October 29.
The gated section stays open to hikers, snowshoers and cross-country skiers. For snow-free ideas, see our winter hikes near Seattle.
In spring, Snohomish County reopens Deer Creek to Barlow Pass first. The road normally stays closed through Memorial Day, though in low-snow 2024 it opened April 19, and the gravel to Bedal opens once the Forest Service decides it is safe.
Road status
On Sept. 29, 2026, the Forest Service listed the highway open through Barlow Pass to Darrington and Mount Pilchuck Road open to its trailhead, while Tupso Pass Road stays closed to cars at the Canyon Creek bridge. Every road the site tracks is on our trail conditions page.
| Road | Status | Note | Season | Checked | Source | Hikes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tupso Pass Road (FS 41) to Three Fingers | Check | Closed to vehicles at the South Fork Canyon Creek bridge, about 8 miles below the old Goat Flats trailhead, though walking and biking are allowed (Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Sept 2026). | A winter closure at the FS 4110 junction started Sept. 28, 2026, according to WTA. | USFS | 1 | |
| Mountain Loop Highway (Deer Creek gate to Bedal gate) | Open | Open through Barlow Pass to Darrington with no closure posted (Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Oct 2026). | Closes to cars each winter for 14 miles between the Deer Creek and Bedal gates, usually in mid or late November; hikers and snowshoers can still use it, and Snohomish County reopens Deer Creek to Barlow Pass in spring, usually before Memorial Day. | USFS | 4 | |
| Mount Pilchuck Road (FS 42) | Open | Open to the Mount Pilchuck trailhead (Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Oct 2026). | Gated for winter past the Heather Lake trailhead, usually in late fall; in 2025 the gate closed Oct. 29. | USFS | 1 |
FAQ
Is the Mountain Loop Highway open?
Yes. On Sept. 29, 2026, the Forest Service listed it open through Barlow Pass to Darrington, and the winter closure usually starts in mid or late November.
When does the Mountain Loop Highway open?
Snohomish County reopens the paved road from the Deer Creek gate to Barlow Pass in spring, normally by Memorial Day (April 19 in 2024). The 14-mile gravel section to Bedal follows once the Forest Service clears it.
Do you need a parking pass on the Mountain Loop Highway?
Yes, at 8 Forest Service fee sites, including Heather Lake, Lake 22, Mount Pilchuck, Big Four and Barlow Pass, where a Northwest Forest Pass costs $5 a day or $30 a year. Ashland Lakes takes a Discover Pass ($10 a day).
How long is the Mountain Loop Highway?
The Forest Service puts it at 55 miles from Granite Falls to Darrington, including 14 miles of single-lane gravel north of Barlow Pass.
What are the best hikes on the Mountain Loop Highway?
For a first visit, hike Lake 22 (5.4 miles roundtrip) on a weekday. For a summit view, climb to Mount Pilchuck Lookout, and for an easy family walk, take the 2.2-mile Big Four Ice Caves trail.
Related guides
- Best hikes near Seattle: more day hikes to pair with a Mountain Loop trip
- Lake hikes near Seattle: other lakes when Lake 22 and Heather Lake are packed
- Fire lookout hikes in Washington: Mount Pilchuck, Three Fingers and lookouts across the state
- Trail conditions and road status: current status for every road the site tracks
- Washington hiking passes: Northwest Forest Pass, Discover Pass and where to buy them