Routes and rocks; hiker's guide to the North Cascades from ... - USGS

154 ROUTES AND ROCKSENTIAT RIVER TRAILMaintained yearly2350-foot climb15 miles Figure 44"The hills,Rock-ribbed, and ancient as the sun."William Cullen Bryant, ThanatopsisHanging glacier on Mount Maude(Entiat G-lacier)This valley bottom arterial is worthwhile not for its own charms,which are scarce, but for the access it provides to higher, finer scenery.It is a long trip into the upper Entiat, but the flowered meadows, surroundedby the glacier-plastered walls of Mount Maude, Seven-fingeredJack, and Mount Fernow, commonly spotted with goats, reward theweary traveler. Use one of the higher trails on the way out to relievethe monotony.0.0 At the ENTIAT ROAD END (3144-0.0) prepare for a long sustainedpace and hit the wide, smooth but dusty trail. Look out for trail scooterson weekends; this is a high-speed scooterway. The trail winds through drybushy flats where a few openings give views of the steep valley walls. Atthe first dry wash (1.4) the steep slopes of Duncan Hill topped by thelookout can be seen to the east. The way continues on through dry forest2.5 to the junction with the ANTHEM CREEK TRAIL (3500-2.5). Beyondglacier-smoothed outcrops is a view straight up the Devils Smoke Stack.At ANTHEM CREEK (3500-2.8) are dusty camp spots in the trees. Thetrail continues through the dry woods to the junction with the COW4.0 CREEK MEADOWS TRAIL (3750-4.0) and past a small meadowyopening (4.2) that gives a view of Devils Smoke Stack, Rampart Mountain,and Fifth of July Mountain. Past a pasture gate, the trail continues5.0 through trees to junction with the LARCH LAKES TRAIL (3750-5.0).