The Mountain Loop Highway is a scenic and accessible road that hooks hikers up with a wide variety of kid-friendly hikes. From old growth forests, to river valley walks, to waterfalls, to quiet lakes and even ice caves, families will find something for everyone. Because the loop can be accessed from two different directions, I’ve split the hike descriptions up. The middle part of the road between Darrington and Verlot closes every winter due to snow. Most of the loop is paved two-lane highway, but the back section is a windy, potholed gravel road, and takes some time to drive. Hikes closer to the towns are accessible year-round, while other hikes are best left until summer when the snow melts. {July, 2017 – this is the list I’m currently working on this month! Keep checking back for my writeups. In the meantime, you can search for these hikes on wta.org.}
From the Darrington side:
North Fork Sauk Falls – Inaccessible – the road is washed out (Spring, 2017)
From the Granite Falls side:
Lime Kiln
Old Robe Canyon
Gold Basin Mill Pond Interpretive Trail
Youth-on-Age Nature Trail – In Disprepair
Kelcema Lake – Road washed out, inaccessible
Big Four Ice Caves