Artist Ridge Interpretive Trail - Heather Meadows

Directions:
From Glacier, travel east on Mt. Baker Highway 542 for 24.0 miles to the Artist Point parking lot. The road ends at the parking lot (milepost 58) near the 5,140-foot Artist Point viewpoint.

The name speaks for itself. You will have stunning views of 10,778-foot Mt. Baker, 9,038-foot Mt. Shuksan, and 5,628-foot Table Mountain. The Artist Ridge trail begins at the southern end of the parking area.

Features:

The scenic Mt. Baker Highway 542 winds along the North Fork Nooksack River, ending at spectacular Artist Point, elevation 5,100 feet, in the Heather Meadows Area. Patches of heather and berries dot the landscape, while the towering, glaciated peaks of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan complete this picture-perfect alpine setting.

A paved path to an Artist Point lookout makes the beginning of this trail easy and universally accessible. The trail to Artist Point has a gradient of 5% and the Artist Ridge trail 1%.

Interpretive displays along the one-mile loop trail provide information about the area's geology, plants, animals, birds, and historical past.

Other:
The trail is usually snow free by midsummer. A Northwest forest pass is required.

 

 

Scenic Byway. The last 24 miles of Highway 542 to Artist Point is designated a National Forest Scenic Byway. On a clear day, snow-capped Mt. Baker claims the eye of travelers all over northwest Washington and southwest British Columbia. One of the state's prettiestdrives, 55-mile Mt. Baker Highway and Scenic Byway from Bellingham to the top of the mountain offers a bonanza of views and recreation options. The road meanders along the Nooksack River through verdant farming and forest land. Near Maple Falls, Silver Lake County Park is a good stop for boaters and anglers. Glacier, just inside the boundary of Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest, has a general store, eateries, and lodging. Stop at the public service center, a mile east of town, for maps, hiking tips, and information on mountain conditions. The center has accessible restrooms.

Six miles east of Glacier, Nooksack Falls can be viewed safely from a fenced overlook just a half-mile from the road. Four miles beyond the falls, watch for a grove of towering old-growth Douglas firs. Narrowing with switchbacks, the road climbs 3,200 feet in the last 10 miles as you reach the heart of Mt. Baker Ski Area. You pass White Salmon Day Lodge, a handsome log complex built in 1996. A mile beyond is the entrance to beautiful Heather Meadows, an alpine area usually open by mid-July. [Byway Map]

Fire and Ice - Austin Pass Picnic Area, Heather Meadows

Directions:
From Glacier, travel east on Mt. Baker Highway 542 for 22.0 miles to the Heather Meadows Interpretive Center (milepost 56). The trail is located adjacent to the visitor center.

Features:
Located in a bowl-shaped valley between Mount Herman and Table Mountain, this 0.5 mile loop trail winds through alpine meadows punctuated with undersized but very old mountain hemlock -- the diminutive products of a very short growing season. If you take this trail in September you can feast on mountain blueberries. Earlier in the summer you will see a multitude of wildflowers. Interpretive signs along the way tell the story of the landscape, from volcanic eruptions to ice age glaciers. Look at looming rock formations of columnar andesite, from volcanic activity thousands of years ago. The first half of the Fire and Ice Trail is universally accessible with a 3 percent grade and culminates with a lookout point with scenic views of Bagley Lakes.

At the end of the asphalt, just before the lookout point the trail cuts down and left into a meadow. For here the trail accessiblity is rated difficult. The first 15 feet of the trail has a 24 percent grade and is barely 3 feet wide. You need to maneuver several obtacles, but if you are capable of making this section you are rewarded by a small fishing pier on Bagley Lake. An unaccessible portion of the trail continues beyond the lake.

Plan a picnic at Austin Pass Picnic Area and visit the Heather Meadows Interpretive Center for terrific views of Bagley Lakes and mountain ridges dotted with bonsai-like silver fir and 500-year-old mountain hemlock.

Other:
A Northwest Forest Pass is required for each vehicle parked at the trailhead. Heather Meadows Interpretive Center is open seven days a week during the late summer seas.

Picture Lake Trail - Heather Meadows

Directions:
Inside Heather Meadows, at the start of a one-way loop road just before you reach the upper ski area.

Features:
Take the .5 mile universally accessible trail to crystal-blue Picture Lake amid the wildflowers, heather, blueberries and huckleberries. Magnificent Mt. Shuksan is reflected in the appropriately named Picture Lake, with the striking contrast of black rock, white snow, and vivid icy blue glacier. It is one of the most photographed mountain views in the world. The easy, flat path circles the lake past various piers and a few narrower side paths.

Other:
No dogs.

Campgrounds. There are several campgrounds in the forests along the banks of the Nooksack River along the Mount Baker Highway. Silver Fir Campground 13 miles east of Glacier near milepost 46 is the closest campground to the Heather Meadows area. The campground is situated along the North Fork Nooksack River and has 20 tent/trailer sites of which 13 can be reserved. The remainder are available on a first-come-first-served basis. A day use picnic shelter is reservable. There are also 3 barrier free sites. There are vault toilets, water and garbage bins.

The Douglas Fir Campground 2 miles east of Glacier near milepost 36 is the next best choice in the area. The campground is situated along the North Fork Nooksack River and has 28 tent/trailer sites of which 18 can be reserved. The remainder are available on a first-come-first-served basis. A day-use shelter is also reservable. The campground has 3 barrier free sites. There are vault toilets, water and garbage bins. A short trail, Horseshoe Bend, is located within easy walking distance from the campground. Reservations can be made at both of these campgrounds. The most developed campground in the area is at Silver Lake County Park (360/599-2776), which is north of Maple Falls and has 120 campsites.