Alpine Lookout

Land Management: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

Region: Central Cascades

Pass required: Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful

Mileage: 10.3

Elevation gain/loss: 2900’

Max elevation: 6235’

Road access: Take Highway 2 (east from Steven’s pass or west from Leavenworth) to FR 6910. Take the dirt road 4.4 miles until the final fork, turning right onto FR 170 and continuing for a quarter mile until reaching the parking area.

Trail description: Follow the Round Mountain trail #1529 for 1.5 miles and turn left at the Nason Ridge #1538 junction. Continue on Nason Ridge for roughly 3 miles until the next fork, turn right on the spur trail #1538.1. From here it’s half a mile to Alpine Lookout.

I chose to visit Alpine on a smoky July day, despite an iffy forecast and moderate air quality index. Convincing my husband to come along for the trip, we enjoyed solitude on trail and were fortunate to miss the surrounding storms in the area. The storm rolling in also cleared the lingering smoke in the air, and made for a pleasant outing overall. We didn’t stay long at the lookout, as I was starting to feel lightheaded/dizzy (which I would later find out was the onset of a round of Covid) and we saw some lightning in the distance.

Date Visited: 7/21/2024