A ridgeline hiker's paradise. Ptarmigan Ridge and Yellow Aster Butte were some of my favorite hikes of the whole Washington trip, having great views the whole length and little or no time spent stuck below the treeline. I actually would've rather explored more here and less in Olympic National Park if I could turn back the clock. It just felt so much more remote and rugged.
This hike starts above the treeline, so views are immediately fantastic.
You’re greeted with sweeping views before even leaving the parking lot, and they continue to the very end of the hike. The parking lot also leads to Artist Point, and the trail forks off to Chain Lakes loop a few miles in, leaving the option to extend the hike into an all-day marathon. The trail becomes a little hard to follow during the final stretch, after passing Camp Kiser and starting the final ascent to the Portals, so having offline trail maps is helpful.
Another excellent trail in Mount Baker Wilderness
Yellow Aster Butte offers expansive views after a short stint below the treeline. The road to the trailhead is poor and pothole-ridden but, it's doable in a sedan with careful maneuvering. Parking along the road is sparse with no lot so I recommend arriving early. There's debate on where the hike ends, since the "true" summit requires multiple sections of steep scrambling to get to. I personally stopped at the false summit since I got uncomfortable after climbing down to the ridge leading to the true summit, being by myself late in the afternoon and hours away from the car.
Visitors can stay inside this fire tower.
Park Butte starts out in forest and has gradual elevation gain for most of the duration. There were good views all around, especially Mount Baker itself, although I still preferred Mt. Fremont as a fire lookout and hike overall. It’s possible to camp in the Park Butte fire tower on a first-come-first-serve basis. I would put it ahead of Tolmie Peak in terms of overall views along the hike, being that the latter is almost completely forested.
As always, make sure you check the weather forecast before you head out..
The weather unfortunately turned foul by the time I got here, so I wasn't able to see much. Due to the short length I consider Artist Point less of a hike and more of a viewpoint or short walk, so it makes a great addition to one of the aforementioned hikes, like the Chain Lakes loop or Ptarmigan Ridge, which share the same parking lot.