Rainbow Ridge Hike
The Rainbow Ridge hike is a gorgeous 8.0 km adventure in the North Cascades that takes you along a ridge with great views of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, Canada, and beyond. In terms of difficulty, this hike sits on the harder end of moderate, making it an ideal trip for strong beginners and intermediate hikers. You’ll need a fairly capable vehicle to get to the trailhead.
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Route Description for Rainbow Ridge Hike
The Rainbow Ridge hike is an impressive adventure with standout views of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, the Canadian border, and lots more. It’s a beautiful hike that sits right in between moderate and hard on our difficulty scale, so it’s a good challenge for beginners or a comfortable venture for intermediates and better.
You’ll want a capable vehicle to make it to this trailhead since the road isn’t in very good condition. We recommend downloading the GPS track for this hike since the trail can become hard to follow if there’s snow or washed out areas.
From the trailhead, you’ll immediately jump into a consistent climb up to the ridgeline. This section is where the majority of the elevation gain in the entire trail occurs, so it’s an easier trip once you’ve crested the ridge. You’ll traverse west, taking in the views and enjoying an easier route. The trail terminates where the south side of the ridge flattens out. From this point, turn around and retrace your steps.
Getting to the Rainbow Ridge Hike Trailhead
The trailhead for the Rainbow Ridge hike is at the end of National Forest Development Road 1130.
Route Information
Rainbow Ridge Hike Elevation Graph
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