Distance: 0.5 Mile Loop
Elevation Gain: 100 feet
Season: Mid-summer to early fall
Maps: Green Trails Mt. Shuksan No. 14
Description: This short and sweet interpretive trail in Heather Meadows is surprisingly interesting. You’ll get views of surrounding peaks, such as Table Mountain and Mount Herman, and down in the Bagley Lakes basin. Part of the trail is paved, and part is dirt. Signs along the path tell about the interesting geology of the area – the volcanic history and the impact of glaciers and ice. You’ll pass a stream, a few little tarns, and columns of hardened lava from centuries ago. If you want a longer hike in the area, it’s a good one to add to Picture Lake, Artist Ridge or Bagley Lakes.
Directions: Drive Highway 542, the Mount Baker Highway, east about 55 miles to the Austin Pass Picnic Area. Turn off the highway into the parking area, and follow the road down to the end of the parking lot. The trail starts near the Visitor Center. NWForest Pass required; toilets are at the trailhead.