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Highway
Mile
Markers
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Miles
From
Exit 208
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The Mountain Loop
Highway (Forest Service Highway 20) is
classified as a National Forest Scenic Byway
 The Mountain Loop Highway is probably the
most concentrated area in the State of Washington for day hike trails,
campgrounds, and hiking activities.
Many of the trails in this area are through old growth forest.
Map of
Mountain Loop Highway
Although our Mountain Loop Highway
Loop begins at Interstate-5 Exit 208 on WA-530; Highway-530 actually begins
in Stanwood, WA and the Junction with I-5 is on
WA-503 mile 17. We display the mile
posts on the highway for a point of reference as you travel and have our
own mileage system to show total miles traveled on the loop.
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WA-530
Mile 17
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Our Mtn. Loop Hwy.
Mile 0
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Interstate-5 Exit 208 / Arlington
/ WA-530
At this exit there are several restaurants and fuel.
Take WA-530 east to Arlington and then on to Darrington.
Our policy is to route from the north to the south
so our loop will begin at Interstate-5 Exit 208 (Arlington, WA).
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WA-530
Mile 21
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Mile 4
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The City of Arlington,
WA
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Mile 5
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Arlington
Heights Road (To
Granite Falls)
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WA-530
Mile 32
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Mile 16.1
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The small village of Oso / Lake Cavanaugh Road
This gravel road to the left (north)
is Deer Creek Road. It is about 6 mi. long and goes over the
mountain to Lake
Cavanaugh. The road is gravel but well maintained
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WA-530
Mile 38
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Mile 22.3
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View Point at
N. Fork of Stillaguamish
River
 You will see the display structure
shown in the photo to the right on the left (north side) of the
highway. A map of the river is
displayed and a view of the river is behind the display. This is a favorite swimming hole of the
locals in the summer.
There are no toilet facilities or tables here.
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WA-530
Mile 40
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Mile 24.7
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 French Creek Road (National Forest Road 2010) – Turn
right (south) onto NF Road 2010 and travel 3.7 miles up the road to the
trailhead for the Bolder River Trail #734.
This 4 mile long trail only rises 400 feet over its length and
follows what seems to be an old logging roadbed. This is a great family hiking trail that
is very busy on summer weekends. You
will find second growth forest for the first 2 miles and then enter old
growth forest.
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WA-530
Mile 44
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Mile 28.4
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Squire Creek Campground – There are 30
drive-through sites for trailers or RVs up to 25 feet long. Piped water and
sewer hookups are available. No reservations. Open mid-April to mid-October.
Location: 41415 State Road 530, Arlington
Contact: 360-436-1283
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WA-530
Mile 47
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Mile 32
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 The City of Darrington, WA – This mill and logging town in the
Cascade Mountain Range foothills was originally an overnight stop for
wagons headed from Puget Sound to the
mines in the Monte Cristo area.
Today the city has a population of around 1300. There are limited tourist facilities in
the city.
When you visit this community you
really feel like you are in the mountains with 6854 ft. high Three Fingers
Mountain to the southwest, the 5202
foot Mt. Higgins to the northwest, and
the 6935 foot high White Chuck Mountain to the east. The city is located in the Sauk River valley. The Sauk
River is a tributary of the Skagit River. This area was the exclusive home of the
Sauk and Suiattle tribes until the miners and then the loggers arrived in
the late 1800’s.
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National Forest
Mountain Loop
Highway mile 55
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Mile 32.7
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Jct. WA-530 with Mountain
Loop Highway
You come to a stop sign here.
Turn left to continue on WA-530 to
Rockport
Turn right to
Mountain Loop Highway
– at this point you are 55 miles from Granite Falls via the Mountain Loop Highway
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Mtn Loop
Mile 52
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Mile 35.7
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South City
Limit of Darrington
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 51
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Mile 34.5
Mile 35
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Clear Creek Campground
Open late May to early September. There are 12 campsites.. Reservations 1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
Clear Creek Bridge
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Mtn. Loop
Marker 50
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Mile 36
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Old Sauk Trail #728
Trailhead (on left side of road)
4 mi. to Darrington / 27 miles to Verlot Public Service
Center
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Mtn Loop
Mile 49
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Mile 37
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NF Road 2070 on right (west)
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 45
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Mile 41
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Road 2080 (on right) go to Road 2081 then Road
2086. The trailhead for Peek-A-Boo
Trail #656 is up this road. Travel
about 0.5 mi. from trailhead on an old logging road and then you enter old
growth forest.
Go to our Peek-A-Boo Trail page for more information.
(9 mi. to Darrington)
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 44
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Mile 41.3
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Sauk River Bridge
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Mile 41.5
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Beaver Lake
Trail #629 – Across
Sauk River bridge on Right (west) is the 0.2 mi. road to the Trailhead –
This trail follows an old railroad grade.
In the first 1.5 mi. you will find beaver ponds. In the next 1.5 miles you will enter old
growth forest. Visit our Beaver Lake Trail page.
White Chuck Boat Launch on east side
of highway is closed due to storm damage
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Mile 41.7
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White Chuck Road #23 ( second left
after Bridge)
Road and Trails beyond closed until further notice due to storm
damage 1.7 mi. from Mtn. Loop Highway (as of July 2004) Repairs scheduled for 2008.
10 mi. to Darrington
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***
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End of Blacktop
roadway – from here road is gravel.
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Mile 46.7
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Sloan Creek Road #49
North
Fork Sauk Falls Trail #660 – This 0.2 mile trail drops about 100 feet
to the falls. There is no old growth
forest but the falls are worth the short hike.
Red
Mountain Trail #651
North Fork Sauk Trail #649
17 mi. to Darrington
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Mt. Loop
Mile 37
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Mile 49.1
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 Bedal Campground – This forest service campground is
mainly for tenting. Only smaller RV’s
or trailers can be accommodated in the camp sites. Open late May to early September. It has 18 camp sites and takes
reservations.
Reservations 1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
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Mtn.Loop
Mile 36
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Mile 50
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Road from here
to Mile 53 opened on Oct. 26, 2007
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Elliot Creek Road #4080 (on the left)
(No accessible to vehicles)
22.0 miles to Darrington / 22.8 miles to Verlot Public
Service Center
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 31
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Mile 53
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Road reopened
Oct. 26, 2007.
End of Gravel Roadway.
Pavement begins at Barlow Pass
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Mtn.Loop
Mile 30
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Mile 54
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Barlow
Pass Elevation 2,361 feet above sea
level -, named for J.Q. Barlow who surveyed a route up
the South Fork of the Stillaguamish for the Everett and Monte Cristo
Railroad in 1891-92. This was also the site of the Barlow Pass Ranger
Station.
Trailhead –
Old Monte Cristo town site – The
4 mi. long road to Monte Cristo is gated but open to foot traffic. The land between the gate and the townsite
is privately owned by several patented mining claims and numerous summer
homes. The road follows the old
railroad grade so it is an easy family walk.
The road from here to the Verlot Public
Service Center
for the most part follows the railroad grade of the Everett and Monte Cristo Railway built in
the 1890’s.
23.4 mi. to Darrington / 19.5 mi. to Verlot Public Service
Center
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Mile 28
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Mile 56.3
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NF
Road 4065 – Sunrise Mine Trailhead & Scenic
overlook – 2mi.
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Mile 27
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Mile 57.0
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Mt. Kickerman
Trail #710 Trailhead
– parking lot on right (north) side of highway
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 26
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Mile 57.6
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Perry Creek Road #4063 - on right
(north)
Mt. Forgotten
Meadows – Perry Creek Trail #711 Trailhead 1.0 mi.
15.2 mi. to Verlot Public
Service Center
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Mile 26
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Mile 58.2
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Ice Caves
Trailhead – Trail
closed indefinitely due to bridge washout in 2006 floods – Upset, call your
congressman.
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 26
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Mile 58.7
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Coal Lake Road #4060 (on right)
Coal Lake Trail #632 –
4.4 mi.
Pass Lake Trail #645 – 4.5 mi.
Independence Lake Trail #712 – 4.8 mi.
15.0 mi. to Verlot Public
Service Center
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 25
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Mile 59.1
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Big Four Picnic Area
14.5 mi. to Verlot Public
Service Center
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Mile Post 25
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Mile 59.8
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Beaver Creek
- reservation Campground
1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
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Mile 24
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Mile 61.4
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Deer Creek Road –
This is where the snowplow stops in winter. Deer Creek is a popular winter
recreation area.
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Mtn. Loop
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Mile 62.4
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Village of Silverton
- A bridge crosses the river to the
townsite, but most of the land is privately owned and tourists are not
welcome. On other side of the highway there is a small store, and homes.
Silverton was at its peak in 1897 with a population of 3,000. Site of the old Silverton Ranger Station,
it was also a Forest Service nursery in the early 1900s.
13 mi. to Verlot
Public Service
Center
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Mile 22
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Mile 63.8
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Dick Sperry Picnic Area
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 21
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Mile 64.2
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Marten Creek
Trailhead
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Mile 20
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Mile 65.5
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Tulalip Group Campground – Open late may to early October. Maximum 25 people rate $75.00 in
2004 Reservations 1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 18
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Mile 66.2
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Youth-on-Age-Trail –
This accessible interpretative loop is .3 mile long and contains old growth trees. It has experienced some unrepaired storm
damage as of July 2004. Back country
toilets are provided in the parking area.
7.5 miles to Verlot Public Service Center
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Mtn. Loop
Mile Post 18
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Mile 66.5
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Red Bridge Campground – Open late May to early
September. 14 campsites. Reservations 1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 17
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Mile 66.8
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Mallardy Road #4030 (on left)
Mallardy Ridge Trail #706 – 9 mi. to trailhead
7.0 mi. to Verlot Public
Service Center
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 16
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Mile 67.9
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Boardman
Campground – Open late May to early September. 8 campsites. Reservations 1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
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Mtn. Loop
Mile Post 16
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Mile 68.5
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Esswine Group
Campground – Open late May to early September. 25 people max. rate $60.00 in 2004 Reservations 1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
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Mtn Loop
Mile 15
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Mile 69.2
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Schweitzer Creek Road #4020 (on left)
Boardman
& Lake Evan Trail #704 – trailhead 5.0 mi.
4.5 mi. to Verlot Public
Service Center
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Mtn. Loop
Mile Post 15
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Mile 69.9
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Wiley Creek
Reservation Campground–
Open late May to early September. 35
people max. rate $75.00 in 2004.
Reservations 1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
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Mtn Loop
Mile 14
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Mile 70.8
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Tupso Pass Road #41 (on left)
Forks of the
Canyon Creek Trail #633 – 12.5 mi. to trailhead
3.9 mo. to Verlot Public
Service Center
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 13
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Mile 71.4
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Gold Basin Campground. This is
the largest campground in the area with 92 campsites. Open late May to early October. Fee $17.00 in 2004. Reservations
1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
The Gold
Basin Mill Pond is located across
the highway from the campground. There is an interpretative trail that
tells the area's story
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 13
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Mile 71.8
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Lake Twenty Two
Trail #703 trailhead (on the left)
Temple Creek
Picnic Area – across highway from trailhead
2.0 mi. to Verlot Public
Service Center
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Mtn. Loop
Mile Post 12
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Mile 72.9
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Mt. Pilchuck Road #42 (Monte Cristo
Grade road) on left (south)
Mt. Pilchuch
Lookout Trail #700 – 6.9 mi. to trailhead
1 mi. to Verlot Public
Service Center
Bridge over the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River.
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Mtn Loop
Mile 11
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Mile 73.7
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Verlot
Campground
Open late May
to early September. There are 25
campsites. Reservations
1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 11
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Mile 73.9
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Verlot Public
Service Center
Look for the slice of an old growth tree that is
timeline labeled from the 1500’s
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Mtn. Loop
Mile 10
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Mile 74.0
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Turlow
Campground – across highway from Verlot Public
Service Center. Open late May to
early September. There are 18
campsites. Reservations
1-877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com
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Mile 10
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Mile 74.3
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Leave the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National
Forest
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Mile 10
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Mile 74.9
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Village of Robe
– founded in 1891
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Mile 6
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Mile 78.0
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Old Robe Trail
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Mile 1
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Mile 86
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Granite Falls
view point
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Mtn. Loop Hwy
Mile Post 0
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Mile 87.8
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City of Granite Falls
Jct. E Stanley St
& Mountain Loop Highway
Right turn onto Stanley St. and into downtown Granite Falls
West end of Stanley Street turns into WA-92. Take WA-92 west from the city
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Mile 95.5
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Intersection
of WA-92 with WA-9
Turn left (south) on WA-9
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Mile 97.0
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Intersection
of WA-9 with WA-204 at Lake
Stevens
Turn right at light toward Everett and US-2
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Mile 99.4
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Intersection
with WA-204 and US-2 to Everett
Exit onto US-2 to Everett
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Mile 102.4
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Intersection
with US-2 and Interstate-5 Exit 194 in Everett
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This is the
southerly end of our Mountain Loop Highway
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A Northwest Forest Pass
is required for each vehicle parked at the trailhead.
![[Image]: Northwest Forest Pass Logo posted on most recreation signs.](MtnLoopHiway_files/image011.gif) Recreationists
are reminded that a Northwest
Forest Pass is required at trailheads in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie
National Forest.
Hikers can buy a $30 annual pass or a $5 day pass at Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie
National Forest Ranger Stations. Passes are also available at local vendors
or can be ordered by calling (toll free) 1-800-270-7504 or ordered on-line
through Nature of the Northwest.
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The US Forest Service index page for all trails on the Mountain Loop Highway
and their current status is located at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/recreation/activities/trails/mtnloop.shtml
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