Iron Bear - Teanaway Ridge

The Iron Bear trail starts in open forest on the east side of the Cascades and wastes no time gaining elevation through slopes thick with balsamroot, lupine, and penstemon. By the time you reach Iron Bear Pass at around 4,500 feet, the Teanaway country opens up in every direction. From there, the Teanaway Ridge Trail heads north along the crest, climbing another 1,000 feet over rolling ridgeline to an unnamed summit where Mount Stuart and Mount Rainier both fill the skyline.

This is a multi-use trail, so expect the occasional dirt bike or horse, particularly after the Forest Service lifts the motorized closure in mid-June. The route faces south and east, which means it dries out fast in spring but can cook you in midsummer. Morning starts pay off here. The trailhead access road (FR 9714) has a stream ford near the end that can run high during snowmelt, so clearance matters early in the season.

The wildflower display from late June through mid-July is genuinely exceptional. People compare this stretch to a planted garden, and they are not exaggerating. If you want east-side ridge walking with big views and fewer bodies than the Enchantments corridor, this is the ticket.