Cashmere Canyons Preserve

Cashmere Canyons Preserve sits on the dry eastern slopes where the Cascades give way to sagebrush and bunchgrass. The landscape looks nothing like the west side. Folded ridgelines dotted with bitterbrush and sage roll out in every direction, and in spring the hillsides turn yellow and purple with balsamroot and lupine. Two modest summits, Little Bear and Sunrise, put you at eye level with the Enchantments and the Stuart Range.

The trail system offers several loops and connectors, so you can build anything from a quick 3-mile circuit on the Spring Canyon Loop to a full day covering most of the preserve's 12 miles. The old ranch roads are wide enough to walk side by side, which makes this a good place for conversation. The Douglas-fir stands along Spring Canyon provide the only real shade on the property. Everywhere else is open and exposed, and summer heat can be punishing.

This is a conservation preserve, not public land, so the rules are stricter than most trails. No dogs, no bikes, and seasonal closures for wildlife protection. There is no water anywhere on the route, and shade is scarce except near the summits. A boot brush station at the trailhead helps control invasive seeds. Use it both ways. Spring and fall are the sweet spots. Summer is survivable with an early start and plenty of water, but the wildflowers will be long gone.