Kachess Ridge Beacon Trail #1315

Explore this lesser known ridge above Kachess Lake and follow this route up to an old airplane beacon.
Total Distance: 4.7 miles
Total Ascent: 2200ft
Highest Point: 4600ft
Difficulty: Hard
Our Hiking Time: 3h 45m
Required Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
To get there, take I-90 to Exit 70. Take a left over the freeway and turn left onto West Sparks Road. Continue for a half-mile to FR 4818 (signed Kachess Dam Road) and take a right. Follow FR 4818 for a mile to an unmarked road on the right. Follow this road for a half-mile to the small parking area at the trailhead. View Google Directions >>
Kachess Ridge has a great deal to offer – it is easily accessible from the freeway, but surprisingly few hikers are to be found along the trail. And, because it is east of the Pass, it is an ideal early season hike. A word of caution however; the spring route up the ridge is steep and challenging, so we don’t recommend it for the inexperienced. Either approach makes for a hard hike, but we think the views are worth the extra effort.

There's a lot more to Kachess Ridge Beacon, and you can learn all about it in Hiking through History Washington: Exploring the Evergreen State's Past by Trail. You'll find a trail map, route descriptions, history, and more for this and many other hikes throughout the State. Help support hikingwithmybrother.com and the work we do by picking up a copy!