Backpacking Areas

There are a variety of trails within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest that are great for backpacking. Many of these trails travel through designated wilderness areas in the forest. Help us protect fish, wildlife, and your natural resources by practicing a backcountry ethic of leave no trace! Some designated trailheads may require you to purchase a Northwest Forest Pass to park your vehicle. Remember to be prepared for emergencies and weather changes. Have Fun!

Backpacking Areas

• Cowlitz Valley area
• Trail #90 Angry Mountain
• Trailhead: Angry Mountain
• Forest Road 2150
• Forest Road 2750
• Trail #257 Badger Ridge
• Trail #228B Angel Falls Loop
• Trail #252 Big Creek
• Trail #269 Allen Mountain
• Trail #1 Boundary
• Trail #1: Boundary- Elk Pass to Yellow Jacket
• Trail #1: Boundary- Yellow Jacket to Council Lake
• Trail #101: Walupt Lake
• Trailhead: Walupt Lake
• Trail #109 Hamilton Peak
• Trail #110 Green Mountain
• Trail #116 High Lakes
• Trail #118 Hamilton Buttes
• Trail #119 Blue Lake Butte
• Trail #121 Coleman Weedpatch
• Trailhead: Coleman Weedpatch
• Trail #123 South Point Lookout
• Trail #125 Dry Creek
• Trail #128 Pompey Peak
• Trail #161 Tatoosh
• Trail #164 Backbone Lake
• Trail #1A Yellowjacket
• Trail #1C Boulder
• Trail #2000 Pacific Crest, William O. Douglas
• Trail #2000: Pacific Crest Trail, Goat Rocks
• Trail #22 Carlton Creek
• Trailhead: Carlton Creek
• Trail #220 Strawberry Mountain
• Trail #248 Puyallup
• Trail #249 Lake Christine
• Trailhead: Lake Christine
• Trail #250 Osborne Mountain
• Trail #253 Greenwood Lake
• Trail #258 Silver Creek
• Trail #259 Langille Ridge
• Trail #259A McCoy Peak
• Trail #261 Juniper Ridge
• Trail #261A Sunrise Peak
• Trail #262 Sunrise
• Trail #263 Dark Meadow
• Trail #265 East Canyon
• Trailhead: High Rock/Greenwood Lake
• Trail #267 Glacier View
• Trailhead: Glacier View
• Trail #270 Valley
• Trail #271 Blue Lake Ridge
• Trailhead: Blue Lake ORV
• Trail #272 Bishop Ridge
• Trail #274 Blue Lake Hiker
• Trailhead: Blue Lake Hiker
• Trail #275 Kraus Ridge
• Trail #276 Yozoo
• Trail #283 Rough
• Trail #292: Mosquito Meadows
• Trail #293 High Bridge
• Trail #294 Tongue Mountain
• Trail #41 Crossover
• Trail #42 Kincaid
• Trailhead: Kincaid
• Trail #43 Jug Lake
• Trail #44 Cowlitz
• Trail #45 Pot Hole
• Trail #56 Dumbbell Lake
• Trail #57 Cortright Creek
• Trailhead: Cortright
• Trail #60 Sand Lake
• Trailhead: Sand Lake
• Trail #61 Clear Fork
• Trailhead: Clear Fork
• Trail #65 Bluff Lake
• Trailhead: Bluff Lake
• Trail #69 Three Peaks
• Trailhead: Three Peaks
• Trail #7 Klickitat
• Trail #76 Clear Lost
• Trailhead: Clear Lost
• Trail #78 Packwood Lake
• Trailhead: Packwood Lake
• Trail #79 Coyote
• Trail #7A Klickitat Loop
• Trail #81 Upper Lake Creek
• Trail #86 Lily Basin
• Trailhead: Lily Basin
• Trail #89 Glacier Lake
• Trailhead: Glacier Lake
• Trail #94 Jordan Creek
• Trailhead: Jordan Creek
• Trail #95 Goat Ridge
• Trail #96 Snowgrass
• Trailhead: Berry Patch
• Trailhead: Snowgrass for hikers
• Trail #97 Bypass
• Trail #98 Nannie Ridge
• Trailhead: Elk Pass/ Boundary Trail
• Trailhead: Lily Basin Stock
• Trailhead: Midway - Pacific Crest Trail
• Mount St. Helens area
• Mount Margaret Backcountry
• Mt. St. Helens East Side: Forest Roads 25 & 99
• Norway Pass Trailhead
• Trail #1: Boundary- Norway Pass TH to Norway Pass
• Trail #1: Boundary- Norway Pass to Elk Pass
• Trail #218 Tumwater
• Windy Ridge Interpretive Site
• Mt. St. Helens South Side: Forest Roads 83 & 81
• Kalama Horse Camp Campground
• Trail #204 Cinnamon
• Trail #216A Ptarmigan
• Trail #225 Smith Creek
• Trail #234 Ape Canyon
• Trail #237 Blue Horse
• Trail #238 Toutle
• Trail #238A Butte Camp
• Trail #240 Sheep Canyon
• Trail #242 Fossil
• Mt. St. Helens West Side: State Highway 504
• Trail #1: Boundary- Truman #207 to Norway Pass
• Trail #207 Truman (Willow Springs #207A)
• Trail #230 Coldwater
• Trail #216 Loowit
• Loowit #216- Butte Camp to Ptarmigan Trail
• Loowit #216- Castle Ridge to Sheep Canyon Trail
• Loowit #216- Ptarmigan to June Lake Trail
• Loowit #216- Sheep Canyon to Butte Camp Trail
• Loowit Trail #216- June Lake to Ape Canyon Trail
• Loowit Trail #216- Windy to Castle Ridge Trail
• Mt. Adams area
• Campground: Crest Camp/Trailhead
• Campground: Little Goose Horse Camp
• Campground: Morrison Creek
• Campground: Peterson Prairie
• Campground: Peterson Prairie Group Camp
• Dark Divide Roadless Area
• Trail #5 & #5B Quartz Creek & Quartz Creek Butte
• Campground: Cultus Creek
• Horse Camp: Falls Creek
• Lewis River Valley
• Campground: Tillicum
• Horse Camp: Lewis River
• Trail #24 Bluff
• Trail #10 High Camp
• Trail #102 Filloon
• Trail #107 Sawtooth
• Trail #108 Cultus Creek
• Trailhead: Cultus Creek
• Trail #11 Snipes Mountain
• Trailhead: Snipes Mountain
• Trail #111 Thomas Lake
• Trail #112 Divide Camp
• Trailhead: Divide Camp
• Trail #113 Killen Creek
• Trailhead: Killen Creek
• Trail #114 High Line
• Trail #12 Stagman Ridge
• Trail #129 Huffman Peak
• Trail #13 Muddy Meadows
• Trailhead: Muddy Meadows
• Trail #130 Siouxon
• Trail #132 Observation
• Trail #132A Observation Peak
• Trail #132B Shortcut
• Trail #133 Soda Peaks Lake
• Trailhead: Soda Peaks
• Trail #135 Big Huckleberry
• Trail #139 East Fork
• Trail #140 Horseshoe Ridge
• Trail #146 Grassy Knoll
• Trailhead: Grassy Knoll
• Trail #148 Snofoot
• Trail #149A Cedar Creek
• Trail #150 Snofoot
• Trail #151 Valley Ski Trail
• Trail #152 Falls Creek
• Trail #153 Paradise Hills
• Trail #156 Wildcat
• Trail #157 McClellan Meadows
• Trail #158 Big Hollow
• Trail #16 Shorthorn
• Trail #17 Stabler Camp
• Trail #171 Indian Race Track
• Trailhead: Indian Race Track - North
• Trail #171A Shortcut
• Trail #172 Bluff Mountain
• Trail #173 Summit Springs
• Trail #175 Starway
• Trail #176 Elk Lake
• Trail #179 Lemei Lake
• Trail #18 Table Mountain
• Trail #180B Chinook
• Trail #180C Sturgeon Rock
• Trail #180F Pyramid Rock
• Trail #183 South Climb
• Trailhead: South Climb
• Trail #185 Wood Lake
• Trail #192.1 Trapper Creek
• Trailhead: Trapper Creek
• Trail #192.2 Trapper Creek
• Trail #194 Dry Creek
• Trail #195 Big Slide Primitive
• Trail #198 Sunshine Primitive Trail
• Trail #2 Summit Prairie
• Trail #2000 Pacific Crest, Mt. Adams area
• Trail #202 Rim Primitive Trail
• Trail #209: Deer Cutoff Primitive Trail
• Trail #21 Squaw Butte
• Trail #26 Middle
• Trail #29 Placid Lake
• Trail #29A Chenamus Lake
• Trail #3 Craggy Peak
• Trail #30 & #30A Spencer Butte & Breezy Point
• Trail #31 Lewis River
• Trail #31 Lewis River, Curly Creek to Lower Falls
• Trailhead: Middle Falls
• Trail #33 Indian Heaven
• Trail #33A Deep Lake
• Trail #34 Lemei
• Trailhead: Lemei
• Trail #34A Wapiki Lake
• Trail #35 Service
• Trailhead: Service
• Trail #4 Snagtooth
• Trail #48 East Crater
• Trailhead: East Crater
• Trail #52 Monte Carlo
• Trailhead: Monte Carlo-Lower
• Trail #53 Monte Cristo
• Trail #54 Buck Creek
• Trailhead: Buck Creek-Lower
• Trail #55 Tombstone Lake
• Trail #5C: French Creek
• Trail #71 Pine-Way
• Trailhead: Pine-Way
• Trail #72 Cold Springs
• Trail #75 Salt Creek
• Trailhead: Salt Creek
• Trail #80 Wright Meadow
• Trail #9 Round-the-Mountain
• Trail #9A Looking Glass Lake
• Trail: Hard Time Loop (X-Country Ski )
• Trailhead: Forest Road 88 - Pacific Crest Trail
• Trailhead: Indian Race Track - South
• Trailhead: Mosquito-PCNST #2000
• Trailhead: Observation Peak
• Trailhead: Potato Hill - Pacific Crest Trail
• Trailhead: Sawtooth
• Trailhead: Williams Mine
• Trails #180 & #180D Silver Star & Summit
• Pacific Crest Trail #2000
• Wilderness areas
• Wilderness: Glacier View
• Wilderness: Goat Rocks - Gifford Pinchot
• Wilderness: Indian Heaven
• Wilderness: Mount Adams
• Wilderness: Tatoosh
• Wilderness: Trapper Creek
• Wilderness: William O. Douglas - Gifford Pinchot