Winchester Mountain was on my radar way back in the college days when I lived in Bellingham. But back then, the road was notorious for how rough and undriveable it was. However, while searching for a place to spend the weekend, it came up as one of the few places with a solid weather forecast. As luck would have it, recent reports said most of the road up to the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead was in decent shape.
We arrived at the trailhead fairly early (around 8 am), but still, the entire road was littered with vehicles. Luckily, we grabbed one of the last pullout spots so we would not need to park partially on the road. From the Yellow Aster Butte trail parking, the road gets significantly rougher, and walking is highly recommended unless you have a high-clearance vehicle. We saw several low-clearance vehicles attempt the road and turn around, so I will second this wisdom.
To get to the Winchester Mountain trailhead, the walk is really not that bad. From our parking spot, it took us around one hour to reach the Twin Lakes area, which is where the actual trail begins.
From Twin Lakes, the trail up to the Winchester Mountain lookout begins to climb steadily. The trail was very well maintained for such an area. But the scenery slowed us significantly. Despite it only being early September, the fall colors in this area were out in force. With the surrounding peaks and the ever-growing panoramic view of the lakes, it was difficult to keep moving at any kind of rapid pace.
Plus, there were literally fields of huckleberries in almost every direction. We were constantly stopping to grab a handful, snap some photos, munch, and then repeat. For being such a short hike, the views out here are just phenomenal. To the south, the Goat Mountains stand tall with Shuksan in the distance. Off to the west is the north side of Mount Baker, including a view of one of my favorite climbs, the Boulder Glacier.
In all, the Winchester Mountain hike itself goes at a gentle pace, and I saw people of all skill levels making their way easily up the switchbacks.
After a bit, the trail wraps around to the north side of Winchester Mountain, where the views continue to open up. Tomyhoi Peak, American Border Peak, and the mighty Mount Larrabee, just to name a few, dominate the skyline. At no point on this hike was there an underwhelming moment. The views just keep coming.
Likewise, the view from the Winchester Mountain lookout is just stunning. The lookout itself is well maintained, and according to a few other hikers, it is open for sleeping. If that is your jam, then you can find the details on the Forest Service website.
While taking a break and admiring the views, we were greeted by a few squirrels that were begging for food. Clearly, they have been getting fed by others, as they were a bit pudgy and definitely ready for the coming winter.
Overall, just an amazing hike and a great day out. The only disappointing part was having to walk back down a gravel road to return to the car, but I would gladly do it again just for those fantastic views.
