Nooksack Cirque Trail

Nooksack Cirque Trail is a primitive out-and-back hike in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, following the North Fork of the Nooksack River to its headwaters in a steep-walled cirque at the base of Mt. Shuksan.

The route is about 11.5 miles round trip (around 18.5 km) with roughly 1,230 ft of elevation gain, and a typical completion time is about 5 to 5.5 hours.

Expect limited maintenance and frequent route-finding. The trail can include brushy travel and wet/active stream sections where you may need to choose crossing options.

Trailhead access is at the Mt. Baker Wilderness with an unpaved approach road (Nooksack Cirque Road #34). The trailhead has no amenities, so plan for self-sufficiency from the start.

The first major obstacle is Ruth Creek: there’s no bridge. Wade when conditions allow, or cross on a log if one is present; water can rise quickly, making a morning crossing safer than an afternoon one.

After crossing Ruth Creek, follow the old roadbed for about two miles to what was the original trailhead, then continue another mile through second-growth before reaching the Mt. Baker Wilderness boundary.

From there, the route winds through old-growth forest for about half a mile and drops you onto the bank of the North Fork of the Nooksack River at the end of the well-defined portion.

Beyond a tributary stream, travel continues using gravel bars during low water or bushwhacking through riparian vegetation along the river; the North Cascades National Park boundary is about a mile away, and getting farther toward the cirque becomes more cross-country oriented.

More information: Visitor information, Nooksack Cirque, Nooksack Cirque