Kettle Crest Trail

The Kettle Crest is the grand traverse of northeast Washington. Forty-four miles of ridgeline trail running north to south through the Colville National Forest, topping out at 7,140 feet on Copper Butte. This is part of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail, and it earns every bit of that designation. You will cross sage meadows, ghost forests from the 1988 White Mountain Fire, old-growth stands, and subalpine parkland bursting with lupine and paintbrush in July.

Plan on 3 to 5 days for the full traverse. Water comes from tapped springs spaced roughly every six miles along the route, though cattle graze the range and some springs run murky or dry by late summer. Filter everything. The Forest Service typically logs out the trail in mid-June, so timing matters. Before that, expect blowdowns, lingering snow patches, and route-finding challenges. After log-out and before the bugs hit hard in July, you get a golden window.

The northern segment from Deer Creek to Sherman Pass is wilder and more remote. The southern segment from Sherman Pass to White Mountain is more accessible for shorter section hikes. Either way, bring a bear canister (black bears are common), expect to see moose and mule deer, and keep your eyes open for historic vision quest cairns built by members of the Colville Tribes. This is one of those trails that rewards the people willing to drive past the popular Cascades trailheads.