Want to explore the glory of hiking without a super strenuous trip? We have you covered. The Thunder Creek Trail is a great choice and can be made as easy or as difficult as you’d like. With the first scenic bridge just 1.5 miles in, the distance is doable whether it’s your first hike or you’re a seasoned pro.
The Thunder Creek Trail is located within North Cascades National Park and begins in one of the park’s ancient forests. From there, the trail takes you into the heart of the park, following the turquoise blue, glacier-fed creek from its lower reaches all the way up to its origins on the slopes of Park Creek Pass.
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For the purpose of this piece, we’re talking about the mile and a half of the trail because it leads you to a large rustic wooden bridge and allows you to see Thunder Creek in all its glory.
Now if you’re curious about why the creek has such a brilliant color, it’s due to the fact that the creek “carries a heavy load of ‘rock flour,’ ground by the many glaciers of its headwaters.”
While the stunning water and bridge may be the highlight of the hike for many, the trail also takes you through some very large old cedar and fir trees. And if you find yourself in need of a greater challenge you can always attempt the full hike which is 19.6 miles one way. For now, we’ll stick to the sweet and scenic 3 miles roundtrip, thank you very much.
Stay safe while out there!
