Round Mountain

Round Mountain puts you on Nason Ridge with 360-degree views for relatively little effort. The 3-mile roundtrip route climbs 1,700 feet through an old logging area into old-growth forest, then breaks onto a burned ridgeline that has been recovering since the mid-1980s. Once on the ridge, the trail joins the 22-mile Nason Ridge multi-use path and heads west with views down to Lake Wenatchee, across to the Enchantments, and north toward Glacier Peak.

The final stretch wraps around Round Mountain's south flank for three-quarters of a mile. The summit itself is forested with no maintained track, but the ridgeline views more than compensate. Wildflowers fill the open burn zones in summer, and fall color lights up the slopes in September. Multiple trip reports note motorcycle damage on the lower Nason Ridge sections, degrading the trail surface in places. The access road requires caution but is passable for most vehicles. Bring plenty of water: there is essentially no reliable water source beyond a seasonal spring near the trailhead.