Park Butte Lookout

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Park Butte Lookout and its sweeping views of the North Cascades, Mount Baker, and the Washington Wilderness.

By Joseph Gulizia

Set in the Mt. Baker Wilderness of Northern Washington, sits an epic fire lookout. Park Butte is a quaint wooden hut that saddles a steep ridge, with a massive drop-off on either side of it. The hut itself is bare bones. There is nothing more than a small wooden desk and a rickety old spring cot. It was perfect, and more than what I could have asked for. The day was clear from recent snow/rainfall. With that we were able to see Vancouver, to the North, 100 miles away, with Mt. Rainer and Mt. St. Helens to the South. Mt. Baker is just a stones throw away, and towers over the lookout. It’s no wonder why this is such a popular destination of the Pacific Northwest.

Sunsets in the mountains are always spectacular, but this one seemed extraordinary. It just kept going long after the sun crossed the horizon. The multitude of colors left everyone in awe, and outside in the cold longer than we were anticipating. With the recent snowfall, and winter settling in, the night was frigid. There isn’t much in the lookout for insulation, so hot tea, cocoa, and some whiskey did the trick.

The night was long and cold, but nothing a winter bag, down jacket, and long johns couldn’t handle. The sunrise that morning made every second of the cold worth it. To see the first light in the Northern Cascades is something I will never forget. The hues and color change just as spectacular as the sunset, and the sun. The warmth of that sun on my face was invigorating. That and a hot cup of coffee thawed out my body in preparation for the decent.

On the way down, we were not sure we wanted to go home yet, so we decided a quick detour up the Railroad Grade trail. The name of the trail is the perfect description of the actual hike, a spine leading straight up to the summit of Mt. Baker. Although we didn’t head up for the summit, as we were ill prepared, we made it just below the foot of the glacier. This was the perfect spot for lunch with Park Butte just across the valley with the Twin Sister’s Mountains peaking above. I could not have asked for a better 24 hours spent out in the Mt. Baker Wilderness.

With Special Thanks to Washington Trails Association , Experience WA, Fjallraven, and Stanley