Difference between revisions of "Sleeping Beauty Hike"
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
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* ''Curious Gorge'' by Scott Cook | * ''Curious Gorge'' by Scott Cook | ||
* ''Day Hiking: South Cascades'' by Dan A. Nelson & Alan L. Bauer | * ''Day Hiking: South Cascades'' by Dan A. Nelson & Alan L. Bauer | ||
| + | * ''Best Hikes With Kids: Western Washington & the Cascades'' by Joan Burton | ||
* ''33 Hiking Trails: Southern Washington Cascades'' by Don & Roberta Lowe | * ''33 Hiking Trails: Southern Washington Cascades'' by Don & Roberta Lowe | ||
* ''Washington Hiking'' by Scott Leonard | * ''Washington Hiking'' by Scott Leonard | ||
Revision as of 00:36, 22 December 2014
- Start point: Sleeping Beauty Trailhead
- Ending Point: Sleeping Beauty
- Trail Log:
- Hike Type: In and out
- Distance: 3.0 miles
- Elevation gain: 1430 feet
- High Point: 4,907 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: Summer, Fall
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: Sometimes
Contents |
Hike Description
From the Trout Lake Valley, the profile of Sleeping Beauty resembles a maiden in repose, her petrified locks cascading down the south slope, her tears no doubt the bubbling source of Skull Creek. The short, steep hike up here, mostly switchbacking in shady woods until you get to the last tightly coiled section of the ascent, is a good family outing and rewards with expansive views of the Cascades, the spine of Indian Heaven, and the settled valleys to the south. Hike early or late and you will avoid most other visitors and perhaps also get a glimpse of one of Sleeping Beauty's permanent residents, a shy mountain goat!
At the trailhead, the Preston family is given credit for maintaining this trail. The path ascends on an old road bed through Douglas-fir, grand fir, thimbleberry, vine maples, wild rose, boxwood, pipsissewa, trailing blackberry, bracken, ocean spray and hazel. Wind steeply up and soon you will encounter larger trees. Traverse up and switchback twice and then do another long traverse. Switchback again and keep ascending. Now some silver fir and noble fir enter the forest mix. There are two more switchbacks before you see the rocky summit of Sleeping Beauty looming ahead through the trees. Switchback again to the ridge crest in predominantly silver fir woods with some mountain hemlock. Head along the ridge crest, ignoring a spur trail to a forest road to the north on your left, and then rise steeply up to the north side of the rock among mountain hemlocks. Switchback at a small talus slope and then switchback again at the base of the rock. There’s one more switchback and then you get a view of snowy Goat Rocks to the north. Switchback below a notch in the rock and get a head-on view of Mount Adams. In the fall, you will see larches lighting the forest like candles below. Then there are a series of mini-switchbacks on a constructed trail to the top of the rock.
Here, get your first views of Mount Saint Helens, Mount Rainier, and Mount Hood. To the right, you can scramble to the site of the old lookout. Mountain goats inhabit the rock and you can search for their sign (droppings, wallows, wool). To get to the east side of the rock, scramble up and down through the rocks. There are more expansive views of the mountains and the Trout Lake valley. Try to find the secluded last resting place of Tuter the Turtle. Stunted Douglas-fir, noble fir, mountain hemlock and ponderosa pine populate the summit area. Continue to quietly explore the top of Sleeping Beauty, and you may run into a goat or two!
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- $1 toll each way at the Hood River Bridge
Maps
- Green Trails Maps: Mount Adams West, WA #366
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Adams Wilderness, Indian Heaven Wilderness, Trapper Creek Wilderness
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Adams Ranger District
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Sleeping Beauty Hike
- Sleeping Beauty
- Little Huckleberry / Sleeping Beauty 15-Oct-2013
- Sleeping Beauty
- Beating the heat with Sleeping Beauty
- Sunrise for Sleeping Beauty 7/4/2007
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Sleeping Beauty Hike
Guidebooks that cover this destination
- Washington's South Cascades' Volcanic Landscapes by Marge and Ted Mueller
- Day Hiking Mount Adams and Goat Rocks by Tami Asars
- Best Short Hikes in Washington's South Cascades & Olympics by E.M. Sterling & Ira Spring
- Hiking Washington's Mount Adams Country by Fred Barstad
- Curious Gorge by Scott Cook
- Day Hiking: South Cascades by Dan A. Nelson & Alan L. Bauer
- Best Hikes With Kids: Western Washington & the Cascades by Joan Burton
- 33 Hiking Trails: Southern Washington Cascades by Don & Roberta Lowe
- Washington Hiking by Scott Leonard
- Pacific Northwest Hiking by Scott Leonard & Megan McMorris
More Links
- Trail #37 Sleeping Beauty Peak (USFS)
- #68 Sleeping Beauty trail (Curious Gorge Blog)
- Sleeping Beauty Hike (Northwest Hiker)
- Sleeping Beauty (Oregon Adventures)
- Sleeping Beauty Peak (Washington Trails Association)
- The Collection: Sleeping Beauty Hike near Mt Adams (Wet Planet Whitewater)
- A team effort. . . Mt. Adams’ Sleeping Beauty Trail – Adventure with Kids (Cornelia Becker Seigneur)
Page Contributors
- bobcat (creator)