Mount Baker Travel Information
At 10,778 feet, Mt. Baker is covered year-round in a thick white
blanket of snow. In spring, foliage and flowers appear at the base of
Baker and ice-free streams flow freely again. By summer, alpine
meadows have thrown their own quilt of color over Baker's flanks, and
North Fork Nooksack River runs blue-green with cold run-off waters.
Fall ushers in first frosts and trees turn to brilliant reds and
yellows. Winter snows again envelope the area and provide a new range
of recreational opportunities. There are more than 400 miles of
trails around Mt. Baker, ranging from hour-long hikes to longer
overnight trips. For views of the Cascades, choose from a number of
trails that climb up out of the trees, usually steeply. If you're
after vistas without the work, hike a mile-long loop in Heather Meadow
at the end of Mt. Baker Highway. This is also the access point for
hikes to Lake Ann, Table Mountain or 9,127-foot Mt. Shuksan.
Rafters ride the Nooksack River during warmer months. Rapids are
of the manageable class II-III variety over the eight-mile stretch run
by local rafting tours. If you'd rather float alone, go to slower
sections of the Nooksak River -- best is the South Fork of the
river. When snow keeps hikers home, skiers hit the slopes of Mt.
Baker Ski Resort, where average snowfall is 647 inches. Cross-country
and backcountry skiers are not left out in the cold either. Miles of
trails around the ski area are designed for those wanting nothing but
the sound of their own skis sliding through fresh powder. Mt. Baker
is 62 miles east of Bellingham.
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