Thorp Mountain Lookout via Knox Creek

We drove up to the Knox Creek Trailhead off of FSR 1315.1 (which is off of French Cabin Road north of Cle Elum Lake) to hike up to Thorp Mountain Lookout, overall 4.5 miles round trip with 1,700 ft of gain. It was a beautiful sunny and hot day. Besides gorgeous views we saw some wildflowers and many ripe huckleberries. There is no longer a sign marking the start of the trail, it is across the road from the parking pull out. The first part of the trail was very brushy, with lots of cascade asters in bloom along with sitka mountain ash colored with orange berries.

Views from the other side of the ridge, continuing up towards the lookout

Above: zoom of Mt Rainier

Above: zoom of Mount Stuart and other Enchantment Peaks to the northeast. Below: Fire Lookout on Thorp Mountain

Above: Other Cascade Peaks to the north. Below: looking down on Thorp Lake to the east

Above: view of Kachess Lake and Mt Rainier to the southwest. Below: back in the flowered filled meadow as we descend down to the trailhead and one of the many butterflies we saw among the flowers today

some of the wildflowers and berries we saw along the trail today:

Thorp Lake and Thorp Mountain Lookout

We drove to the Thorp Creek Trail Head off of French Cabin Road(FR 4308) and FR 4312. Our hike was 7.8 miles round trip with 2,480 ft of gain. WE only saw two other hikers on the trail today. Near the beginning of the trail, we crossed Thorp Creek.

2.4 miles from the trailhead is a 0.2 mile spur trail to Thorp Lake, we saw some fall color here.

wide angle view of Thorp Lake, Thorp Mountain to the right behind the lake.

After Thorp Lake the trail ascends steeply, we saw some bright red huckleberry bushes along here.

Looking up to the ridge we need to take up to Thorp Mountain.

View of Kaches Lake to the south

Thorp Lake below to the east

A distant Mount Stuart to the northeast

zoom of Mount Stuart

The lookout on Thorp Mountain

Cascade Peaks to the north from Thorp Mountain:

zoom photos of some of the peaks:

another view of Kaches Lake below:

Cascade peaks to the northwest

Dark clouds were gathering as we descended down the trail.

some of the wildflowers, fungi, fall color and berries we saw along the trail today: