A fun walk through pines and tamaracks with views of Diamond Head, the backside of Mission Ridge, Mission Creek drainage, Entiat and Icicle ridges, Glacier Peak and Mount Rainier.
Maps: Wenatchee National Forest Map, Green Trails # 210 (Liberty). This hike is difficult to make out on the maps, as this area is so filled with roads and trails that individual trails are hard to discern. Fortunately, this trail itself is well-signed and easy to navigate.
View our topo map below for more information.
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Activity: Hiking, Mountain Biking
Nearest Town: Blewett Pass
Skill Level: HIKING: 2; MTN BIKING: 3
Fitness Level: 2
Distance: Approximately 4 miles one way.
Elevation: About 1,600 feet to the top of Mount Lillian
Recommended Season: Spring, summer, fall
Access: Drive south on Highway 97 toward Blewett Pass. Between milepost 164 and 165 find Forest Service Road 7240 on the left (east side of the road). Drive this dirt road 2 miles to road end and a parking lot signed “Tronsen Meadows” trail #1205.
Trip Instructions: This is a well-marked trail, but it splits about 500 yards from the trailhead: a cross-country ski trail goes left (marked with blue diamonds) while the hiking/biking trail heads uphill to the right. Go right. The trail begins gently (easily bikeable) and gradually increases to some serious climbing. (At this point I would definitely be shoving my bike). Follow this trail approximately 2 miles to the 4-way intersection with the Mount Lillian Trail (#1601). Go left on this trail. At this point the trail is again “bikeable” by my standards. The trail parallels a dirt road for a while, meanders through the meadow, and eventually begins a gentle climb to Mount Lillian, elevation 6,000 feet.
Cons/Hazards: The Blewett Pass/Tronsen Ridge area is well-used, so the likelihood of encountering motorized users is high. To obtain the most solitude, use this area on weekdays or in the early morning. The Sunday we hiked this trail, we saw no one in the morning, but encountered 8 motorbikes in the afternoon. We were fortunate we could hear them coming, as they scream up and down the trail.
Uses Allowed: Horses, bikes, hikers, motorbikes.
Trip Reporter: Carolyn Griffin-Bugert, October 2006
Leave It Better Than You Found It: This should be every outdoor user’s goal. Pick up trash left by others, pull noxious weeds along your route, disperse old fire rings (they encourage more fires), throw branches over spur trails and spurs between switchbacks (make it harder to do the wrong thing than the right thing).
Important Disclaimer: Treat this information as recommendations, not gospel. Things change, conditions change, and those contributing these reports are volunteers–they may make mistakes, fail to give complete information, or may not know all the issues affecting a route. So forget about finger pointing: If things go wrong, you are completely responsible for yourself and your actions. If you can’t live with that, you are prohibited from using our information.
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