A very scenic hike visits Snowgrass Flat and Goat Ridge over a 13 mile loop with 3180 feet total gain in Goat Rocks Wilderness, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, USA. Ice still covers most of Goat Lake in late July, but the trail should be mostly free of snow barriers by then. Hike Goat Rocks on a clear day to admire several nearby Cascades volcanoes: Mount Adams, Mount Saint Helens, and Mount Rainier. Watch for lenticular (lens shaped) clouds hovering in standing waves of wind sweeping over the volcanic cones.
The following wildflowers bloomed abundantly on July 28, 2006 (see photos): subalpine mariposa lily (Calochortus subalpina, or mountain mariposa lily), pink heather, lupine flowers, Bear Grass (Latin name tenax, also commonly called Indian Basket Grass, Soap Grass, or Squaw Grass), Indian paintbrush (Castilleja), and Western Anemone flowers with hair-like seed heads.
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The Goat Rocks Wilderness is a unique area characterized by high alpine terrain centered around an ancient volcano which dominated the area some two million years ago. The mountainous terrain is between 3,000 and 8,184 feet elevation, much above timberline. Elk, mountain goats, marmots, deer, and a variety of birds reside here.
Recommended Washington guidebooks from Amazon.com
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Trails Illustrated Goat Rocks, Norse Peak & William O. Douglas Wilderness Area (National Geographic) topographic hiking map with easy to read trails, numbered forest service roads, campsites, access points, scenic points-of-interests, important facilities.
Search for the latest Washington hiking & travel books on Amazon.com.
- Lonely Planet Seattle 8 (Travel Guide), Paperback – Illustrated, 2020
- Seattle Stairway Walks: An Up-and-Down Guide to City Neighborhoods, Paperback – 2012
- Day Hiking Central Cascades: Stevens Pass * Glacier Peak Wilderness * Lakes Wenatchee & Chelan (The Mountaineer Books), Paperback – 2023
- Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Mount Baker/Snoqualmie & Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests. Trails Illustrated Map #825 (National Geographic Maps)
- Day Hiking South Cascades (Done in a Day), Paperback – 2007
- Day Hike! Mount Rainier, 4th Edition: More than 50 Washington State Trails You Can Hike in a Day, Paperback – Illustrated, 2019
- Moon San Juan Islands: Best Hikes, Local Spots, and Weekend Getaways (Travel Guide), Paperback – Illustrated, 2020
- Day Hiking North Cascades: Mount Baker * North Cascades Highway * Methow Valley * Mountain Loop Highway, Paperback – Illustrated, 2020
- Moon Olympic Peninsula: Coastal Getaways, Rainforests & Waterfalls, Hiking & Camping (Travel Guide), Paperback – 2021
- Hiking the Columbia River Gorge: A Guide to the Area’s Greatest Hiking Adventures (Falcon Regional Hiking Series), Paperback – 2014
- Day Hiking Columbia River Gorge: National Scenic Area, Silver Star Scenic Area, Portland-Vancouver to the Dalles, Paperback – Mountaineers Books 2011
- Washington’s Best Wildflower Hikes, Paperback – 2004
