07. Aurora Peak, 6094' (H)
Aurora Peak involves biking and hiking. It can be approached from the South Puyallup River Trail at Round Pass or from the St. Andrews Creek Trail. The St. Andrews Creek Trail approach is shorter and allows sufficient time for scrambling up Andrew. Both approaches require driving the Westside Road to the washout area, then biking the Westside Road, and hiking the South Puyallup River Trail (leaving from Round Pass) or the St Andrews Creek Trail. We recommend a mountain bike or hybrid bike. The origin of Aurora Peak’s name is unknown.
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Driving
From the Nisqually Entrance, drive 1 mile and turn left on the Westside Road. Drive 3.2 miles until you reach the large parking lot at the washout.
Routes
St. Andrews Creek Trail: Travel by bike on the decommissioned Westside Road for approximately 8 miles to the St. Andrews Creek Trail. Stow your bike and head east on the trail approximately 2.7 miles to the Wonderland Trail. At the junction with the Wonderland Trail, turn right and head east. Aurora Peak is due east of Aurora Lake. Travel on the Wonderland Trail for approximately 0.25 mile. At a sign on the left reading “Wonderland Trail,” with an arrow in each direction, look left (eastward) for a way trail. It may be overgrown a bit, but it is almost directly behind the sign and will become more distinct within 50' of leaving the the Wonderland Trail. Travel the way trail directly to the summit.
South Puyallup River Trail via Round Pass: Travel by bike on the decommissioned Westside Road for approximately 4 miles to Round Pass. Stow your bike and start on the the Round Pass Trail (the trailhead sign is on the east side of the road). In 0.6 mile the Round Pass Trail meets the South Puyallup River Trail. Hike east on the South Puyallup River trail for 1.6 miles until it intersects the Wonderland Trail at 4200'. Turn left (north) on the Wonderland Trail and immediately cross the South Puyallup River. Continue northward on the Wonderland Trail and, instead of leaving the Wonderland Trail for Andrew, continue to the vicinity of Aurora Peak (you will have been on the Wonderland Trail for approximately 4.5 miles), and look for the sign “Wonderland Trail” that is located almost directly in front of the way trail leading to the summit (see description above, under St. Andrews Creek Trail)
Comments
At Round Pass stop to visit the Marine Memorial. If you are hiking the western portion of the Wonderland Trail, Aurora can be approached from the north (Mowich) or from the south (Longmire).
Vital Statistics: Aurora Peak
Skill: A bike ride combined with an easy hike
Beauty: 6
Effort: 7 A lot of effort for an easy peak; try to combine with Andrew
Round-trip distance
via St. Andrews Creek Trail: 14 miles on bike, 7 miles on foot
via S. Puyallup River Trail (Round Pass): 8 miles on bike, 10 miles on foot
Elevation gain: 4800': 1800' feet biking in, 500' out; 2500' feet gained on foot
Total time: 12 hours
Best season: July August (you will need lots of daylight)
Equipment: Hiking gear
Aurora Peak Topo
(use CalTopo to print PDF topo, view Google Earth, download tracks, for trail head weather) [How to ?]
Aurora Peak Photos
Trail junction at Aurora Lake
Faint informal trail to peak