Klickitat Loop Trail

Klickitat Loop Trail (#7A, ref TR 7A) is a long-distance hiking loop built around closed logging roads and connected tread across multiple trails just outside the Goat Rocks Wilderness, forming a large loop for multi-day backpacking.

The route uses sections of Klickitat Trail #7, Snowgrass Trail #96, Coleman Weedpatch Trail #121, and portions of the Pacific Crest Trail #2000, and it stays mostly outside wilderness boundaries; wilderness regulations apply only within the wilderness areas you enter.

The Forest Service manages the loop for hiker and horse use only, with a free wilderness permit required only for areas within wilderness (pick it up at trailheads). Low elevation sections typically melt out by mid-May; higher elevations typically melt out by mid-July, and snow may linger in spots on north-facing slopes.

Plan for rough tread and navigation challenges: the loop is described as overgrown and rugged in places, with segments that can be faint or obstructed by brush (and occasional downed trees, washouts, or landslides on the ground).

The loop’s route highlights include Elk Peak, Chambers Lake, Hugo Lake, Walupt Creek, the Cispus River, plus berry fields and subalpine ecosystems; parts of the trail are maintained by Backcountry Horsemen of Washington members.

Access for the main loop is often described starting at Cody Day Use Trailhead, with other entry points including Berry Patch Trailhead and Coleman Weedpatch Trailhead; the route is documented as a roundtrip on the order of 26.7 miles with about 6,463 feet of gain.

More information: Conditions, Visitor information, Klickitat Loop Trail