Nannie Peak/PCT Loop Hike

One of the best ways to get a full view of the Walupt Lake drainage in the Goat Rocks Wilderness is to embark on the loop trail that starts from the lake and takes you to Nannie Peak and around via the Pacific Crest Trail. Views of Mount Adams are a regular companion on this hike once you've reached the ridge. At points along the trail, Goat Rocks, Mount Rainier, and even Mount St. Helens come into view. Along the way the hike leads through old coniferous alpine forests, juts into crystal-clear alpine lakes, and has a variety of spring and summer blooming wildflowers.

For those hikers wishing to finish their elevation gain quickly, start the loop by taking the trail from Walupt Lake Campground that heads up to Nannie Peak. The switchbacks leading through the forest will take you 2.5 miles to the exposed southeastern face that then leads away from the lake and toward Goat Rocks. From the exposed face, take the short spur hike to the top of Nannie Peak. It's from here that Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens can be seen.

Continuing along the loop, the trail takes you under the southern-most approach to Goat Rocks. It meets up with the PCT in a few miles and runs along the side of a ridge with alpine lakes below and a perpetual view of Mount Adams nearby to the south. Leaving the PCT, the return trail to Walupt Lake leads into a more verdant conifer forest with ample runoff from glacial streams and bear grass constantly lining the trail. For those who wish to have a more gradual but longer climb to the hike, start by going in the opposite direction via the lake trail to the PCT and returning down the Nannie Peak trail back to Walupt Lake. If you want to break this hike into multiple days, there are numerous backcountry camping spots, most with freshwater access, along the trail.

Note: Significant snowpack in July required some wayfinding. Come prepared with a map and compass if planning to complete this loop before snows fully melt in August.