Elliott Creek Trail

Waterfall on Elliott Creek

Mountain Loop near Barlow Pass. There is work to be done on both legs of this trail, so we'll try to work about 2 miles up both directions (one leg follows an old logging road and the other follows Elliot Creek). This will be general maintenance work, including improvement to drainage and opening the trail corridor.

Part of this popular trail is on a late 1800's wagon road built by miners. One now has a choice of two trails from the trailhead. You can follow the abandoned logging road straight ahead from the trailhead or drop down to Elliot Creek and follow the creek trail (reopened summer of 1999). Both trails meet up 1.6 miles prior to reaching Goat Lake. The trail along Elliot Creek enters a beautiful old-growth forest for the first 2.0 miles. The forest then transforms into second-grow timber before rejoining the Goat Lake Trail which eventually leads to Goat Lake, 5 miles from the trailhead and located in a glacier cirque with a spectacular views of Foggy Peak and the many waterfalls from surrounding peaks.

Driving directions:
From Seattle, drive north on I-5 to Everett and take exit 194 onto US 2. Drive 2 miles east on US 2 to Highway 204, which exits to the left (north). Follow Highway 204 to Highway 9. Turn left (north) on Highway 9 and follow it just past Lake Stevens to Highway 92. Turn right and follow Highway 92 eight miles to Granite Falls. At the end of town, turn left (north) on the Mountain Loop Highway. Drive 12 miles to the Verlot Public Service Center and continue to follow the Mountain Loop over Barlow Pass and descend into the South Fork Sauk River Valley. At 3.5 miles beyond Barlow Pass turn right on Elliott Creek Forest Service Road #4080 and drive .8 miles to the trailhead parking lot. (Driving time from Seattle: approximately 1 hour 45 minutes.)