Yellow Aster Butte

Location: North Cascades – Mt. Baker HWY SR 542

Length: 7.5 miles roundtrip

Elevation: Gain/2250 ft. Highest/6150 ft.

Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

Time: 4.5 hours

We camped at the very top of the knoll pictured in the middle. Best spot in the house!

STUNNING! The end.

 

No, this hike is quite possibly my number one because it requires little effort compared to the jaw-dropping beauty. Glacier, wildflowers, jagged peaks, blueberries, sparkling tarns, glowing forest, expansive views—you get it all in one hike.

Enjoy the scenic drive up Mount Baker Highway and turn left on FR 3065 which is right by the Department of Transportation’s Shuksan garage.

Be warned the gravel road up to the trailhead is overused and catastrophically unmaintained. My Civic probably needed an alignment afterwards… Drive about 4.5 miles to the trailhead. You’ll see the trailhead for Tomyhoi Lake and then drive one or two more gravel switchbacks before you’ll reach the trailhead for Yellow Aster Butte.

A shriveled glacier.

The hike starts off pretty steep but just know it eases up eventually. After some trekking in the forest the area opens up and the path diverges: left for Yellow Aster Butte, right (straight) for Tomyhoi Lake. I haven’t done Tomyhoi Lake yet but if you’re feeling particularly energetic you can probably comfortably squeeze in both. Once you reach this junction, you're close to crossing a nice expanse of blueberry patches.

 

The autumn foliage will make your eyes pop. This would be a great hike to bring along a PNW plant field guide or topographical map for identifying peaks. Also, if you have Verizon, you will have cell service on this hike. Score!





The gorgeous sparkling tarns.

Once you reach the top, prepare for another hour of exploration because…how could you not!? There are so many angles and views to scavenge and this is probably what keeps people coming back. This hike is definitely a backpacker’s dream, so your best bet for some solace is a trip planned mid-week. Just sit back and drool over the endless peaks to gawk at. You can see all over Washington and well into British Columbia. When the sun sets, you can even see the glowing lights of Chilliwack, B.C.