Falls Creek/Pass Lake Trail
Falls Creek/Pass Lake Trail (TR 645) is a rustic, unmaintained backcountry hiking route in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near Darrington/Silverton. The mapped hiking corridor runs as path/ground and is designated for foot travel (no bicycle or horse use on the route).
Most of the trip’s work is concentrated on the run up to Pass Lake: the trail starts about 600 feet beyond the Coal Lake trailhead, then climbs steeply through roughly 1 mile of burn area and old-growth before reaching Pass Lake.
Pass Lake is a 2.4-acre lake; the official route segment ends there. From Pass Lake, the continuation toward Falls Creek is not maintained and after about 0.5 miles the tread largely vanishes into brush, so you’re relying on route-finding rather than trail following.
Continuing past Pass Lake toward Falls Creek is described as requiring bushwhacking and some navigation effort. In practice, expect overgrowth/obstacles and downed timber in unmaintained sections, including spots that may be steep and messy to work through.
Route conditions on the unmaintained lower section can also involve water crossings along the Falls Creek area: reports mention small creeks paralleling Falls Creek and at least some uncertainty around how many crossings/bridges exist in that lower stretch.
For access, the trailhead area is tied to Coal Creek Road (Forest Road 4060) off the Mountain Loop Highway, across from the Big Four Ice Caves. Road conditions on Forest Road 4060 can change; slides/closures are possible and high-clearance vehicles are often recommended.
Because sections beyond Pass Lake are not maintained and navigation becomes the limiting factor, bring a physical map and GPS track and plan around the possibility of closures/road interruptions before committing to the route.