We believe good things come from people spending time outside. Snowcat service to the Upper Bear Mountain trail system provides access for Luge sledders, featuring a ride up of 5 km and more than 1200’ of elevation gain. This beautiful scenic drive that climbs in elevation, has incredible views over the Moab Valley and Canyonlands National Park. Beautiful views!! This trail is actually part of the Blue Diamond system that is mostly on the north side of highway 160 and can be linked to from many trails in that area. Located in the Usery Mountain Park, there are trailheads both inside the Maricopa County Park and outside the park boundary. Fat Man’s Pass is a narrow slit between two massive boulders in the Hidden Valley loop on South Mountain in Phoenix. The only reason I didn’t give this one 5 stars is that there is a lot of noise from a nearby gun range that disrupts the serenity. Difficulty: Moderate (hiking difficulty scale) Hiking Time: 2 … Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from March until October. Driving The Mountain Loop Highway The road is paved for 34 miles coming from Granite Falls traveling along the beautiful South Fork Stillaguamish River . This starts you right at the Northwest corner of the Pass Mountain Loop. The section of trail just south of the saddle is steep, rocky and a bit slippery. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail. Loop thread. Mountain Loop Scenic Byway Linking Darrington with Granite Falls is the Mountain Loop National Scenic Byway, which was first pioneered in 1891 by miners` dreams. This loop is not very crowded and there are good views from the saddles. This trail goes by Merkle Hills and North Cat Peak. The Usery Mountain Regional Park trails are all pretty flat, with the exception of Pass Mountain and Cats Peaks. Barlow Pass (elevation 2,362 feet (720 m)) is a mountain pass on the west side of the Cascades in Washington on the Mountain Loop Highway between Silverton and Darrington. Usery Mountain Regional Park: Pass Mountain Loop - See 616 traveler reviews, 290 candid photos, and great deals for Mesa, AZ, at Tripadvisor. At the end, turn left onto WA-92 and then left on Mountain Loop Highway. There are no shortcuts back to the parking area. Best all day drive with many stops along the way seeing a variety of mountain … It’s about protecting what sustains us. A few bikes. Started the hike about 8:19 and finished at 12:35. Continue east on Forest Road 267 to Mirror Lake campground. This hike follows the Pass Mountain Trail clockwise around Pass Mountain. Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment? More rocky on the way up than on the way back down the way we went. I clocked 8.2 miles. nice trail with great scenery but rather crowded and loud. Usery Mountain Park has two outstanding, but challenging, hikes: the Wind Cave Trail and the Pass Mountain Loop. Most people do this hike in a clockwise direction. From this point, the trail is a straight, flat (except for the numerous washes) run along the south side of Pass Mountain back to the trailhead. Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter packed with the best adventure guides, travel ideas, news, and articles. Rocky but not too bad. © 2020 Outdoor Project. You can follow a section of the Sulphur Springs trail, but only to Mountain Lake. Most trails along the Mountain Loop Highway are within the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, but there are exceptions, so you'll want to make sure before you head out. Distance: 3.4-mile round trip hike. At 28 miles in length, this loop is typically hiked over the course of 3 to 5 days depending on your fitness level. We saw a Charlie Brown cactus tree. I was glad we were climbing that spot rather than going down. Little shade. Pass Mountain Trail is a 7 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Mesa, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. If you go left you will pass the amphitheater and continue to a junction with the Sulphur Springs Trail. Great trail running on some parts but in most too rocky to run. At Barlow Pass, the Mountain Loop Highway goes north, and becomes unpaved Forest Route 20 or FR 20. Very nice, moderate hike. Mountain Biking Badger Pass Loop Add a review #2 of 106 mountain bike trails in Nevada #299 in the world. Pass Mountain Loop. During the trek you hike over four high elevation mountain passes, reach a peak altitude of ~12,500 feet, and climb nearly 9,000 feet of elevation. My AllTrails logged it as 7.5. It was a nice cool day for a hike! Along its southern edge, this trail does connect to the Cat Peaks Pass Trail , so you can access the rest of the trail system from there, and it connects on the northern edge to the Maricopa Trail (look for the signs). Quite the opposite—crossed paths with more people there than at any other portion of the trail of comparable length. Late start that led us to see the sunset against the mountains on the back side. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail. Taking the trail in a clockwise direction is recommended so the elevation gain is more gradual, but either direction is nice. Nice hike with dog! One of my favorites! There were a lot of mountain bikers on the west side (Maricopa Trail)-very polite, especially when we moved off trail to let them ride by. The Four Pass Loop is a 28 mile round trip with 8,000 feet of elevation gain and loss that stays around 10,000 to 12,000 feet in elevation covering four mountain passes in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. From the Wind Cave Trailhead, the first few miles are a gradual uphill climb with many dips as the trail crosses washes and continues up to a very nice viewpoint at the north end of the loop. I started from the Boulder Canyon Trailhead and road the connector over to Pass Mountain. A trail that has a variety of terrain and nice viewpoints! Buck Hollow — Pass Mountain Loop. Bear Mountain Luge Experience. Either one makes a great half-day adventure at this marvelous park. Either one makes a great half-day adventure at this marvelous park. Some hike-a-bike awaits on this steep four-mile climb. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure, Superstition Mountains Area, Mesa, Arizona. The Four Pass Loop is one of the top hikes in Aspen and a quintessential Colorado backpacking trip, traversing high alpine passes, wildflower-filled valleys and dark blue lakes, more than 26 miles and more than 7,000 feet. From the viewpoint, the trail spirals up the mountain to the high point at the saddle. Pass Mountain is (mostly) rideable in either direction, but clockwise is a bit more manageable as it puts more of the chunkier sections on the downhill and it … While driving, visitors will find routes to La Sal Mountain Pass, Geyser Pass, Oowah Lake, Warner Lake and down to Castle Valley. Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, California. Usery Mountain Park has two outstanding, but challenging, hikes: the Wind Cave Trail and the Pass Mountain Loop. Once reaching Barlow Pass at 34 miles the road becomes gravel for the next 13 miles. SR-530) Road and trail condition reports are updated regularly with help from forest visitors, trail crews and engineering reports. The trail starts in Usery Mountain Regional Park and heads north along the park's northeast boundary before entering the Tonto National Forest at the north end of Pass Mountain. This is the only place to obtain any kind of food or water on the route. There are three access points for this trail. Basically, if you can squeeze through it you’re not fat. Westbound traffic is closed at milepost 74.5 Morse Creek, 5 miles east of the summit. Good view. The remaining 3/4 of the trail passes through the … Trip Overview: The Four Pass Loop in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness is one of the premiere backpacking loops in Colorado. For the latest COVID-19 health guidance, statistics and resources, visit Coronavirus.wa.gov. Please call Darrington Ranger District at 360-436-1155 to give a conditions report after your visit. Our dog probably handled it better than we did! . Pass Mountain is also sometimes called “Scarface” – for the slash of cliff that runs along its western flank. Due to many twists and turns on the trail the distance is closer to 10 miles long for the complete loop. Bulldog Saddle and Pass Mountain Trail Loop, Noso, Channel, Spillway, Cat Peaks Pass, and Blevins Trails, Meridian Trailhead to Idaho Road Trailhead. Beautiful but very rocky. Out of Mirror Lake, a steep rocky climb awaits to the top of Tincup Pass. The Best Winter Adventures in North America. The Loop has some of the most rugged and varied beautiful terrains that any trail has to offer much less one only 26 miles in length. With 120 km and 3’400 m elevation gain, it’s the shortest variant of the Alpenbrevet , a road race marathon that offers five passes … I came here on a Saturday morning to run, and I arrived at the parking lot at 10:15AM. It’s about more than standing on the mountain top. Not crowded like the packed Wind Cave trail. The highlight is Mary’s Rock, with panoramic views to the north and west. The two main trailheads for this trail are the Wind Cave Trailhead and the large parking lot just a half mile south off the main park road. A medium-length loop that climbs to Mary’s Rock, then continues north on the Appalachian Trail across Route 211 to Pass Mountain. Eastbound traffic is closed at milepost 57, Crystal Mountain Boulevard, 12 miles west of the summit. As such it is one of the most popular summer trails. 🙂 Get a taste of the Mormon Trail – Hidden Valley – Fat Man’s Pass Loop in this video: All rights reserved. North Lake Trail. The way down was easy. You can ride to the lake, but not all the way around it. There is gradual elevation increase as you head north from the parking area. Awesome trail not a lot of people on the trail today (Sunday) beautiful views. Most of this trail is within the adjoining Tonto National Forest, but Usery Mountain is a popular starting point for hikers. u2metoo’s Pass Mountain ride report and awesome video. This segment makes a nice out-and-back hike for those who don’t want to do the whole loop. We promise not to annoy you, but if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any time. A hike along the Appalachian Trail to a shelter. I figured I’d have that section of the trail to myself. It is a popular trail head for access to the old mining town of Monte Cristo and has a branch off to hike up to Gothic Basin, which is about a mile in. The views before going down were good but once I went to the back of the mountain, the views weren't very good. We hiked it counterclockwise from the Pass Mountain trailhead, which is a lot less crowded than the Staging area for those doing the Wind Cave hike. Later developed as a road by loggers and members of the CCC, this road was designated a Scenic Byway in 1991. Go clockwise. Experienced mountain bikers often hit up Usery when they are recovering from injury - like after riding Pass Mountain. Pass Mountain Trail is a 11.3 kilometer heavily trafficked loop trail located near Mesa, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. Be on the lookout for wildflowers and birds through the fairly open woods along the trail! It tests the soul, and feeds it at the same time. Once on the Mountain Loop Highway, consider taking a little break from driving and visit the Granite Falls (H2) which are about one and a half miles north of the city, or the Granite Falls Fish Ladder (W1). It remains that way until it joins back up with the Pass Mountain Trail near the second saddle. Some parts of the path are a bit rockier than the others, but all manageable for running. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, nature trips, and horses and is accessible year-round. It’s about nourishment and learning. This loop out of Mono Creek Trailhead at Lake Edison traverses two mountain passes high in the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra National Forest, first taking the John Muir Trail over Silver Pass, and then leaving it to cross of Goodale Pass, dropping down into Graveyard Meadows and back to Edison. Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. I went clockwise on the trail, and the map at the beginning says this trail is 7.5 miles (but actually if I add up the mileage on the map, it's 7.6 miles). Tacked on the Cats Peak Loop for good measure. Note that since this is inside Uresy Mountain Regional Park, there's a $7 per motor vehicle. A little rocky but not too bad. Continue north to Cumberland Pass followed by a fast downhill to the townsite of Tincup. Although the Pass Mountain Hiking Trail Loop starts in Usery Park, only the western fourth of the hike is actually within it. For many, the Four Pass Loop trail is the quintessential Colorado backpacking adventure. This north section of the trail has a decent amount … Pass Mountain Trail is a great loop trail in the Northeast Valley. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, nature trips, and horses and is accessible year-round. 12/22/20 7.53 miles, 748’ elevation gain. Loup Loup was excited to introduce Luge Sledding to the Northwest last season and is indeed the very first area in the Western U.S. to offer Luge Sledding. Carry plenty of water and plan to either do the whole loop or turn back at a given point. Stunning scenery in the middle third of hike. Touring up through the alpine evergreens and aspens, various trailheads can be accessed. Pass Mountain Loop was a good and close option. Pass Mountain is challenging because of the distance (it is the longest hike in the park) and some steep sections west of the saddle pass, but it is quite satisfying to circumnavigate a mountain, and the views along the way are magnificent. Length: 1.2 mile loop Type: Hiking and Mountain … My husband and I did this trail yesterday with our border collie going counterclockwise. This is a moderate to difficult loop trail to Pass Mountain in Tonto National Forest. Susten – Furka – Grimsel Mountain Pass Loop The lap over the three mountain passes Susten, Furka, and Grimsel is a classic cycling route in Switzerland. The parking lot was entirely full and street parking was pretty full too, but luckily I snagged a spot right at the trailhead as a car left. Pass Mountain is challenging because of the distance (it is the longest hike in the park) and some steep sections west of the saddle pass, but it is quite satisfying to circumnavigate a mountain, and the views along the way … From the Horse Staging Area, you can go clockwise or counter-clockwise along the Pass Mountain Loop. Usery Park Trail Map (PDF) MTBR Forum Review of Pass Mountain posted in the Pass Mtn. absolutely stunning! At the southeast corner of the loop is an alternative access point from North Meridian Drive in Apache Junction, which avoids the park entrance fee. Pass Mountain Trail is legit. Many people turn around at the first saddle since the trail becomes more of a drainage or wildlife trail than a developed trail at that point. Unpaved segment. Mountain Loop Highway Conditions (alt. The loop continues and intersects a private road that connects the highway to the Old Monte Cristo Townsite, which is located 4 miles east of Barlow Pass. One of the full day trips through the mountains which is a loop through the Cascades without having to drive back the same way. This a view of the west side Pass Mountain … Moderate to difficult with beautiful scenery. Completely unshaded, most people are going counterclockwise so I ran into a lot of hikers, a few bikes, and even a horseback rider and his horse. The majority of the trail runs through Tonto National Forest. At the very least you will need the Northwest Forest Pass ($30). The Four Pass Loop – Colorado’s quintessential backpacking adventure. It’s about building relationships with the outdoors and each other. SR-410 Chinook Pass is closed for the season due to adverse road and weather conditions. The last 4-mile descent is divine. There is one spot to cross (about mile 4) that’s a little tricky with a dog, but other than that it isn’t too bad. Pass Mountain Loop is a 0.3 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Sperryville, Virginia that offers scenic views and is good for all skill levels. Outdoor Project may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. My recommendation is to go counter-clockwise so you don't have the sun facing you as you try to descend the steep section of the mountain, and so you don't inadvertently slide down the loose rock on the steep section of the mountain. COVID-19. It’s a good place to take your friends who are just beginning to ride.