County Buses to the Cascade Mountains
Updated 9/19/2021
Hiking the Cascades via Community and Lewis County Transit
Some county bus lines penetrate deep into the Cascades, offering more options for bus hikers to get to the mountains. Long travel times and lengthy road walks to trailheads will limit the appeal of these routes to the most determined of backpackers.
Packwood Lake
Community Transit Bus 230
The Community Transit bus CT 230 running from Smokey Point to Darrington passes by some wonderful Cascade mountain scenery. Reportedly, this bus has been used by intrepid backpackers to access several hikes, including Mount Higgins, Boulder River, Neiderprum Trail, and Squire Creek Pass. Due to the limted scheduling of the bus (only two trips a day in each direction) it’s not possible to use it for day hikes from Seattle or even Everett; one has to plan for overnight trips. All these hikes require a certain amount of road walking from the bus stops, and the bus never gets close to the major trail networks of the High Cascades, precluding extended backpack trips.
The hike with the least road walking from the bus stop (less than 2 miles from SR 530 along Mines Road) is the steep and rugged Niederprum Trail. This trail is also the start of the climbing route to the top of majestic Whitehorse Mountain. Here is an opportunity to climb a classic North Cascades mountain by bus! The route gets technical toward the summit of Whitehorse, requiring crampons and ice axe to ascend a glacier. An old cabin site below Lone Tree Pass might be an interesting destination for a backpack trip.
Squire Creek Pass offers the best scenery of any hike on the CT230. From the pass, the view of the sheer 3000 foot north face of Three Fingers Mountain is impressive. The granite-slabbed terrain surrounding the pass is reminiscent of the High Sierra.
To get to Squire Creek Pass, ride ST 510 from Seattle to Everett Station. Transfer to CT 200/201/202 and ride to Smokey Point Transit Center. Transfer to CT 230 and ride it to the end of the line in downtown Darrington. Walk Darrington St. (which becomes Forest Service Road 2040) to its end, about 5 miles. The Squire Creek Pass trails continues on from there.
A hiker enjoys the rugged scenery around Squire Creek Pass
Lewis County Transit
schedule: https://www.lewiscounty.com/images/LewisBusSchedules.pdf
An interesting bus hike possibility with more potential for excellent extended backpacking is provided by the Lewis Mountain Highway Transit, which can take you to the mountain village of Packwood. The bus starts in Centralia (three departures a day), which you can reach from Seattle using Amtrak or Greyhound. The bus stops at the Amtrak station in Centralia, making for an easy connection if you choose to go by train. From Packwood, the shortest way to get to Packwood Lake and the Goat Rocks Wilderness is to hike Forest Service Road 1260 about one mile. Then turn left onto FS Road 1262 and follow it 4 or so miles to the end. The road is gated part way along and will be quiet to walk on, or camp near if you are tired. Eventually the road ends, and a two mile trail continues on to Packwood Lake, where there are numerous lakeshore campsites available, and the start of a network of trails heading into the glorious Goat Rocks Wilderness. It is possible to hike to the Pacific Crest Trail, opening the possibility of extended treks north to Snoqualmie Pass and Mount Rainier, or south to the Columbia River.
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