Swift Creek

Swift Creek Trail #607 climbs the eastern flank of Mt. Baker through one of the more committing valley routes the area still has — sixteen miles round trip, twenty-seven hundred feet of gain, and a tread that has reverted partway to the country it crosses. The lower miles run through old-growth Douglas fir and western hemlock that the ice age missed, the forest floor heavy with devil's club and salmonberry. The Pacific Northwest Trail uses this corridor; thru-hikers know it as one of the harder sections.

The route fords Rainbow Creek and Swift Creek without bridges. Both run high through July with snowmelt and demand attention even in late summer. Steep avalanche-track slopes feed dense vegetation across the trail in places, and minimal maintenance means route-finding is part of the job. The connection to Lake Ann at about two miles gives a way out for parties who decide they have come far enough.

This is not a casual day hike. It rewards experienced hikers comfortable with unbridged crossings, brushy tread, and remote country. Late summer — typically August into early October — gives the most reliable window with lower water and the best chance of finding the trail clear. Free parking at the Forest Road 1144 trailhead.