Twisp River Tr440

Low elevation makes this trail an early season ride, if other trails are still snowed in.

Water crossings at Scatter and Slate creeks may become difficult in the Spring. Some riders choose to start from the War Creek CG, avoiding the 3.8mi FR4420 section. The terrain becomes rocky and technical north of the Poplar Flat CG (10mi), with an option of riding FR4440 to Gilbert, returning on the trail.

The trail is surrounded by wilderness areas, off limits to biking.

A typical riverside ride, Twisp River Tr440 traverses the steep valley hillsides, at a high enough elevation from the valley floor to avoid being washed out by Spring runoff. As a result, Twisp River is rarely seen during this ride, although there are some great views of the snow-capped Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness.

 

Adventuresome hikers will find many great OAB and loop options at the northern end of the Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness Area.

North Creek Tr413 follows the creek, circumnavigating Gilbert Mountain, passing the (7000') Abernathy Pass Cedar Creek Tr476 intersection at 3.2mi, crossing avalanche paths (most notably at 1.7mi) and sub-alpine forest to North Lake. The route offers good views of Abernathy Ridge and the Sawtooth Range. The 2.1mi North Creek crossing is not bridged and is hazardous during Spring runoff.

Twisp Pass Tr432 has several stream crossings prior to the 2.2mi Copper Pass Tr426 intersection, then crosses 1mi of rocky terrain before passing through subalpine forest and a number of small meadows to Twisp Pass. The trail then continues in the North Cascades National Park, alongside East Fork McAlester Creek to the Firewood CG.

Copper Pass Tr426 follows the North Fork Twisp River to Copper Pass, then descends alongside Copper Creek to meet the Pacific Crest Trail at State Creek. This lightly used trail will require some pathfinding, so a GPS is suggested.

South Creek Tr401 (3400' ascent) includes a number of avalanche paths for the first 4.5mi, passing the Louis Lake Tr428 intersection at 2.1mi. There are half a dozen creek crossings on the increasingly rocky terrain as the trail crosses South Pass, then descends to Rainbow Creek Trail in the North Cascades National Park. The 5000' ascent Louis Lake Tr428 starts by descending to the trail bridge crossing of South Creek, but it is all uphill from there, switchbacking through old-growth Douglas fir, Engleman spruce, and Western White Pine forest, then continuing the ascent high above Louis Creek, through old avalanche paths and subalpine forest to the lake.

McAlester Creek Trail connects South Creek Tr401 to Twisp Pass Tr432, passing through mountain hemlock, subalpine fir, and subalpine larch forest.

While sharing the North Cascades National Park with the black bears and the occasional grizzly bear, be sure to hang food while camping and take the usual precautions to avoid conflicts with the 'locals'.