Blue Lake
2 weeks ago
Snow is falling on the highway now
16 this month · 112 reports
Heather - Maple Pass Loop
North Cascades
updated 4 days ago
The Heather - Maple Pass Loop is experiencing early winter conditions. Snow is present on the trail at times, with some reports recommending gear and expertise for navigating snow-covered sections, November 03. While the road to the trailhead is currently suitable for all vehicles, snow and ice have been reported on Highway 20 in higher elevations. Hikers should be prepared for slippery and potentially icy conditions on the trail, especially on steep or narrow sections. Mud is also a common obstacle. Parking is generally plentiful, though some reports indicate it can fill up early, with overflow parking available on the highway.
Generated from 179 trip reports. Trails change faster than reports do, so check anything you’d turn around for.
What hikers ask about Heather - Maple Pass Loop
Generated from the most recent trip reports, newest 4 days ago. Check anything you’d turn around for.
As of November 05, there is less than half an inch of new snow on the trail, with deeper drifts possible off-trail. Some sections are compact snow, with icy patches requiring microspikes and poles. Gear and expertise are recommended due to intermittent snow cover.
The road to the trailhead is currently suitable for all vehicles and has been clear and manageable. However, snow has fallen on Highway 20 in higher elevations, so conditions can change rapidly with winter weather.
Mud is frequently reported on the trail, particularly when descending, October 13. Icy and slippery sections are also present, especially on steep or narrow parts of the trail, October 14.
Parking is generally good, with ample spots available at the trailhead. However, some reports indicate the lot can be full by mid-morning, with overflow parking on the side of the highway, October 13, October 15.
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Trail notes generated from recent reports. Conditions change fast.
Sources
Fresh4 days ago
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
I wanted to try to make it up here before the road closure.The road/parking lot: I had my worries about the road being slick and possible snow, but it was clear and manageable. The parking has lots of...
Fresh6 days ago
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
I've been here before during larch madness, but it's just as dreamy with early season snow (maybe even more so, because there weren't hordes of humans).I ended up not completing the loop because I got...
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
Road & Trail Conditions Update (10/25/26): Snow has fallen along Highway 20! Higher Elevation Roads & Trails start to become snow covered.This marks the conclusion of the 2026 Cascades Hiking Season. ...
Recent2 weeks ago
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
A beautiful Friday with plenty of room in the parking lot at 10am. Trail in great shape BUT I wish I hadn't left my microspikes in the car. There were long stretches on the trail with slippery ice/fro...
Recent3 weeks ago
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
A glorious day. Since it’s a Monday and past peak larch season, we easily found a spot in the lot at 8 am and saw only about 15 people during our hike. The views do not disappoint. Of course, larches ...
Recent3 weeks ago
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
Day hiked at Black Peak, one of my bucket-list peaks in the North Cascades. A little late considering the season but I still decided to give it a shot. We arrived at the parking lot a little before 7a...
Recent3 weeks ago
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
Beautiful day for the end of larch season hike. We arrived around 8 am and the lot was full but there were plenty of spots close by on the side of the highway. We hiked clockwise starting with the ste...
Recent3 weeks ago
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
We recently returned to Maple Pass this weekend for a late afternoon hike which turned out to be one of our favorite trips this year. The lighting in the evening was beautiful but we ended up finishi...
Recent3 weeks ago
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
Beautiful hike. A lot of the larches are past prime but there was still color. Do this clockwise if you prefer to hike the steeper part uphill and have a more gentle grade going down. It also seemed m...
Recent3 weeks ago
North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
Larches were a little better than I thought on Thursday Oct 15th! They’re still past peak, but still maybe 70% good! Up toward Wing Lake they looked almost completely gone, but on the main loop they w...