Hiking Maple Pass Loop, Washington

Is this Switzerland or Washington State?

My first trip to Washington, and man was it completely epic. With all hype I had heard about this state it really did live up to it. Ill share more about my other travels in Washington in another post, because boy are there some cool places to see. This one grabbed my heart as soon as we left the car. My cousin and I went in late October and it couldn’t have been a more perfect time to go. The best times to do this hike would be for sure between JULY AND OCTOBER, winter and spring can be pretty brutal with the snow and the cold. By the time summer hits the trail should be drying out and the flowers should be popping. And as you can see in my photos, when fall comes around there’s a whole new set of amazing colors.

Things not to forget!

• Bug Spray - near lakes and beginning points

• Sunscreen - a lot of exposure

• Lots of layers - chilly when you leave treeline

• Bear spray for extra safety - yes there have been bears known to be around this hike

• More water than you think - it’s a lot of incline my friends!

Yes the trail has some serious elevation. As you can tell those switch backs are no joke! The hike is more than completely and totally worth every step. It is best to start this hike counter clockwise from the Lake Ann trail head. There are beautiful lakes to be viewed and if you want to add a short extra hike you can easily get to the base of them. The total loop is 9.8 miles and just over 2,000 ft of elevation gain. Add the two lakes and it‘s about 12 miles.

Definitely in my top 10 USA HIKES, It’s the perfect length, elevation, scenery and elements that to me, make an awesome day hike.