Maple Pass Loop Trail Review: Fall Larches in Washington

The Maple Pass Loop is one of the most beautiful fall hikes I’ve done in Washington. The larches looked close to peak when we went, and between the golden trees, mountain views, and colorful plants along the trail, I came home with some of my favorite photos of Sora. The scenery absolutely lived up to the long drive from Seattle.

The crowds were another story. This was a Saturday in 2021, when hiking felt like the activity everyone was doing, and I had to park more than a mile from the trailhead along Highway 20. Once we reached the trail, it felt like Disney World: a single-file line for much of the loop. I would hike Maple Pass again for the views, but I’d choose a quieter day and time, especially if I were bringing Sora.

Maple Pass Loop at a glance

According to the Washington Trails Association, the Heather–Maple Pass Loop is a 7.2-mile hike with about 2,020 feet of elevation gain. WTA rates it moderate to hard and lists a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass for parking. My Apple Fitness record below is 8.07 miles for our day; I don’t know how much of our long walk from highway parking it captured. Check the current trail and road reports before heading to Rainy Pass.

Getting there and parking

Maple Pass was about a three-hour drive each way from Seattle for us. I think a hike should last longer than the drive to reach it, and this one can if you give yourself time for the viewpoints and photos. It’s a loop, which I always love because you get a different view on the way down instead of retracing every step.

The trailhead parking was completely backed up when we arrived. We parked over a mile away along the highway, then walked to the start. I don’t know how much of that walk my Apple Fitness recording captured, so I’d treat my mileage as a record of my own day rather than the exact length of the loop. I wouldn’t count on parking being easier during peak larch color; check current parking guidance and conditions before you go.

When to go for fall color

If golden larches are the reason you’re making the drive, I’d start watching for color in late September and early October, but I wouldn’t choose a date by the calendar alone. The peak is brief and changes from year to year. We went on October 2, 2021, and the larches looked close to peak to me.

Here’s how I’d check the color before heading out:

• Read recent trail reports. Look at the dates and photos in the Washington Trails Association’s Maple Pass trip reports. Its trip report search also lets you search for “larches” or filter for fall foliage if you want to compare nearby hikes.
• Check recent hiker photos. The Maple Pass reviews and photos on AllTrails can give you another look at what people saw recently. Check when each person actually hiked, since a review can be posted later.
• Ask the local hiking community. Search “Maple Pass” or “larches” in the Washington Hikers and Climbers Facebook group for recent photos and firsthand reports. You may need to join the group to see posts.

I would compare a few reports from the same week instead of relying on one photo. And before making the long drive, check WSDOT’s current SR 20 road conditions and the Maple Pass trail page for access and trail updates.

Gear Check: What I Wore and Brought

It was cold, overcast, and mostly dry, with a little drizzle. That soft light was actually lovely for photos. I wore a fall-colored sweater with wool in it, black leggings, and my waterproof Merrell hiking boots. The trail didn’t feel especially technical to me as a regular hiker, and the boots handled the damp conditions well.

I brought my Sony camera, a tripod for photos of me with Sora, and a GoPro mounted to Sora’s dog camera vest. I also packed some snacks. Eight miles isn’t unusually long for me, but there are beautiful places to sit and enjoy something to eat once you’re up high. Charge your camera gear before you leave; there are so many places you’ll want to stop.

My hiking and photo gear

My waterproof Merrells were great in the drizzle; you can shop the current Merrell Moab 3 Mid boots here. For photos, I’ve linked my Sony a6300, Sigma 30mm lens, and Peak Design tripod. I now use and recommend the Deuter Futura 25 SL backpack, though I got it years after this Maple Pass hike.

For Sora, I’ve linked the Ruffwear Front Range harness I recommend and the Baskerville Ultra basket muzzle from my dog gear resources. The muzzle is an option for a dog who’s already comfortable wearing one; it doesn’t replace a leash or enough space on the trail.

Now let’s get to the actual hike…

Open the Maple Pass route on AllTrails

The start of the hike

If you’re coming for photos, I’d recommend a somewhat overcast day if you can get one. The softer light made the trail’s many fall colors look beautiful in photos, from the meadow near the beginning to the larches higher up. There was so much variety that I wanted to stop almost as soon as we started walking.

I especially loved the meadow and its flowers at the start of the trail. It was crowded, so we stepped a little off the trail to get out of everyone’s way while I had Sora pose among the leaves. Even before we reached the larches or the big viewpoints, the colors were stunning. These became some of my favorite fall photos of her. I Photoshopped her leash out of these two photos for aesthetics; she was leashed on the hike.

Larches

Higher up, the larches were stunning. It felt like there was another photo opportunity every few minutes, which is a big part of why I think this hike is worth making a full day of.

What makes them so special is that larches are conifers that act like deciduous trees: they grow soft needles in spring, turn gold in fall, and drop those needles before winter. Their history goes back a long way, with larch fossils found across North America, Europe, and Asia. Today, different larch species grow through the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Here in Washington, western larches grow at lower elevations, while alpine larches can grow near the high timberline east of the Cascade crest. Some alpine larches live for centuries.

As the days get shorter and cooler, the green chlorophyll in their needles breaks down and yellow pigments become visible. That’s the gold we came to see. In Washington, the color usually arrives from late September into early October and lasts only a few weeks, though the timing varies each year. We hiked on October 2, 2021, and they looked close to peak.

At the top, we stopped to enjoy the view. You could see the lake below, framed by golden larches and the mountains, and it was one of those places where I wanted to stay a while and take it all in.

Looking back at my Apple workout map, we hiked the loop counterclockwise: we started on the Lake Ann side and came down the switchbacks on the other side. I love a good loop because the scenery keeps changing instead of asking you to walk back through the same views. For what you get, the hike didn’t feel very challenging to me as someone who hikes regularly. I would still give it plenty of time, both for the distance and because rushing past the views would waste the best part of the trip.

The hard part of our day was sharing the narrow trail. My friend and I both had reactive dogs, and several off-leash dogs ran up to us. I asked their owners to leash them; one man threatened me, and another person cursed at me after Sora reacted while I was picking her up. Those encounters were stressful and took some of the joy out of an otherwise gorgeous hike.

I know some hikers are comfortable with off-leash dogs, but a crowded, narrow trail isn’t the place to assume everyone else is. People may be afraid of dogs, and some dogs need space because of past experiences. I’ve written more about what it’s like to navigate trails with Sora in Living and Adventuring with a Reactive Dog.

Tips for bringing your dog

If you’re bringing a dog to Maple Pass, especially during peak larch season, here’s what I would do after our experience:

1. Pick a quieter time. I’d choose a weekday, sunrise, or another less crowded hour. If your dog needs space, a peak-color weekend may not be enjoyable for either of you.
2. Keep your dog on a leash and give others room. The narrow sections made passing difficult. Don’t let your dog approach another person or dog without an invitation, even if your dog is friendly.
3. Bring the safety tools your dog already knows. If your dog may react when another dog gets too close, a comfortable, properly fitted basket muzzle can be an extra safeguard. Practice wearing it before the hike, and keep your dog leashed and at a distance from others. A muzzle doesn’t make a crowded encounter comfortable for your dog.
4. Be ready to change plans. If the trail is too packed to give your dog space, turning around or choosing a quieter hike is okay.

My Apple Fitness workout from October 2, 2021 recorded 8.07 miles and 1,989 feet of elevation gain. I started at 11:39 AM and finished at 5:20 PM. The app shows 5:13:48 of workout time and 5:40:59 elapsed, with an average pace of 38:50 per mile and an average heart rate of 123 bpm. Those are my numbers for this day. Your totals will depend on your route, parking, and stops.

The activity images show my route, elevation profile, pace, heart rate, and mile splits. They are a record of my hike, not a prediction of anyone else’s time or effort.

Tips for Hiking Maple Pass in the Fall

1. Choose a quieter time if you can. A weekday would be my first choice. Sunrise or a later start could help, but plan around daylight and bring a charged headlamp if you might finish after dark.
2. Expect the parking walk to add distance. We parked more than a mile from the trailhead during peak larch color. Follow current parking signs and keep the highway clear.

3. Give yourself more time than the mileage suggests. The viewpoints, larches, and colorful plants deserve stops. The drive is long enough that I wouldn’t rush through the hike.
4. Think carefully before bringing a reactive dog on a busy day. The narrow, crowded trail and off-leash encounters made our visit much harder. Bring a leash and give other dogs and hikers space.
5. Bring the gear you’ll actually use for photos. My camera, tripod, and Sora’s GoPro vest were worth carrying. Check batteries before the three-hour drive.

I’d go back for those views, but I’d plan the day around avoiding the crowds. The larches and the fall colors were every bit as good as I’d hoped; I just wish we’d had more room to enjoy them.