The Cascades
Espresso Chalet - Index, WA
Most people have heard of the North Cascades (National Park) in Washington State, but just below is the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, a hidden gem! I planned this trip around a couple of hikes I had on my “bucket list” to finish before the year is over. Little did I know, Highway 2 is an adventurers dream come true!
Gold Bar, Wa
Wallace Falls - Middle Falls
Driving through Gold Bar is quite the experience, you venture into the town with views of the Skykomish river and mountain ranges. This river is unbelievably clear, the perfect spot for rock hunters or anyone who wants to relax next to some water! One of the main attractions in Gold Bar is hiking to Wallace Falls.
Length: 4.9 Miles Roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1,469 ft.
Difficulty: Moderate
This hike brings you on a trail along the river and through a forest with sunlight peaking through. The elevation gain is moderate, just take your breaks and drink your water! The Middle Falls is the real beauty, which is about 2.1 miles in.
Index, WA
Heybrook Lookout - Index, WA
If you love Sasquatch, Index is the place to go! You MUST visit the Espresso Chalet coffee shop located right off the highway. This is the most picturesque coffee shop I have ever visited. After getting a warm drink, walk over to the picnic benches and enjoy the majestic mountain views. During the day you can spend some time at the river swimming, floating or having a picnic. The highlight of Index for a fellow hiker would be sunset (or sunrise) at Heybrook Lookout.
Length: 1.9 Miles Roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 879 ft.
Difficulty: Moderate
Have you been on a fire lookout hike yet? If not, this one is short and sweet (once you get to the top)! Getting up there is quite steep but so worth the climb. Experiencing 360 degree views of mountains and trees from the top of this fire lookout is spectacular.
Summary
This kind of trip is one you can either do in a day or a weekend, depending on how much you love being on the road. We decided to turn it into a 3 day stay coming from Southwest Washington, driving up through Seattle then heading east on Highway 2. We stayed in a wonderful little cabin in Index, there were so many unique homes and cabins in the area. On our way back home we decided to make a pit stop in Leavenworth for some beers and brats then making our way back down and across through Highway 12 to see the great Mt. Rainier! I would highly recommend checking out this part of Washington, it exceeded all expectations and I cannot wait to make my way back to do some more exploring.
