Our Mountain Loop Highway Neighbors
Our land is beautiful and, at 240 acres, has plenty of open spaces and sheltered corners to explore for a lifetime. But it's also situated at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, not far from the "American Alps" as North Cascades National Park is sometimes known. Closer in, Rooted Northwest is just off WA Hwy 530, which runs from Arlington to Rockport and connects to the Mountain Loop Highway, gateway to many hiking trails along the rivers and up to the peaks of the northern Cascades. You can go for an easy day hike from Rooted Northwest in the Boulder River Wilderness or do a technical alpine climb of Three Fingers Mountain if that's your thing.
If you're more in the mood for exploring along the road, you'll find many gems along the Mountain Loop Highway.
Whitehorse Trail
Ten minutes NE from Rooted Northwest is the Trafton Trailhead of the Whitehorse Trail which you can walk 4 miles east into Arlington or bike west all the way to Darrington!
Smoke Farm
Just past Trafton on the other side of the Stillaguamish is Smoke Farm, an event venue for artists and educators -- it's not technically on the Mountain Loop Highway, but worthy of notice nonetheless!
The Restaurant at Rhodes River Ranch
About a 20-minute drive east of Rooted Northwest is the Restaurant at Rhodes River Ranch, a women-owned, LGBTQ+-friendly business that serves dinner and lunch Thursday-Saturday and Sunday brunch and bills itself as the place "Where Friends and Neighbors Meet." They sometimes host bluegrass jams!
SR 520 Oso Slide Memorial
Site of a tragic mudslide in March 2014 in which 43 people were killed, this memorial includes "exhibit spaces that focus on the community, geology, responders, survivors, and victims" and "a story pole by Jewell James and Lushootseed legend and blessing around the stump of a Grandmother Spruce that remained standing through the landslide."
Boulder River Trailhead
A little farther east along SR 530 is the Boulder River Trailhead, start of a gentle 4.3-mile trail along the river that goes past a couple of waterfalls.
Darrington
The Mountain Loop Highway officially starts in the town of Darrington and goes clockwise to Granite Falls. Here you'll find a ranger station for the gorgeous Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest which "extends more than 140 miles along the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains from the Canadian border to the northern boundary of Mt. Rainier National Park." And every July, Darrington is home to a bluegrass festival.
Sauk River Trails
Turning south from Darrington, you'll find three access points for the Old Sauk River Trail, including one for an ADA-compliant section. There are lots of trails you can get to from this road, including the North Fork Sauk River Trail through old-growth forest -- this is also the main access trail to climb or circumnavigate Glacier Peak.
Paca Pride Guest Ranch
A permaculture guest ranch with glamping and hot tubs and alpacas just a half-hour drive from Rooted Northwest? Who could ask for better neighbors than Dave and his partners who've spent the past 20 years offering an inclusive, harmonious gathering place at Paca Pride Guest Ranch?
Paca Pride integrates alpacas and poultry to manage their mountain meadow and build rich soil on the 20 acres where they've carved out a ranch with tent platforms, yurts, and RV hookups just outside Granite Falls. A fun base camp for mountain adventures or for a staycation.
Monte Cristo Ghost Town
This abandoned mining town is a must-visit, too!
Granite Falls
Granite Falls is at the SW corner of the Mountain Loop and has a great little museum open on Sundays.
Pragtree Farm
Our friends Mary Marshall and Andrew Tuttle are stewards at Pragtree Farm, owned by the Evergreen Land Trust -- this spot is rich in history of social movements, serving as a birthplace of the organic movement and the staging ground for the 1999 WTO protest in Seattle. Visits can be arranged by appointment.
River Meadows County Park
Heading north from Granite Falls along the Jordan Road, River Meadows County Park is tucked into the woods along the south fork of the Stillaguamish River. From the county website:
With 150 acres of large open meadows and forests along the banks of the Stillaguamish River, River Meadows is a large, peaceful park with many opportunities to recreate, relax and enjoy nature. You can fish along the mile-long river bank, camp in the summer or rent a yurt year-round, picnic, hike, geocache, bird watch, or play catch in the meadow.
There's so much more to explore in the area -- this is just scratching the surface!
