83 Agnes Gorge
A half-day hike from High Bridge to Agnes Gorge, 5 miles round-trip.
Best season: Late May to mid-October.
Elevation gain: 430 feet.
Elevation loss: 190 feet.
Maximum elevation: 2,060 feet.
Topo maps: McGregor Mountain, Mount Lyall (trail not shown); McGregor Mountain.
Jurisdiction: North Cascades National Park, Glacier Peak Wilderness (Wenatchee National Forest).
Finding the trailhead: The trail leaves the Stehekin Valley Road between High Bridge and High Bridge Camp. Do not take the Agnes Creek Trail (marked PCT), which is a different trail.
The Hike
This trail makes an excellent short day hike from High Bridge, visiting waterfalls and a narrow gorge on Agnes Creek. The trail begins in the woodlands, providing superb examples of the influence of microclimates on forest communities. The dry, sunny hillsides at the mouth of the Agnes Creek valley are home to drought- and fire-tolerant species, such as Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, manzanita, and kinnikinnick. As the trail progresses into moist, shady pockets, western red cedar, grand fir, and mountain ash become the dominant trees. As the trail approaches the boundary of the Glacier Peak Wilderness, bigleaf maple becomes prevalent. Along with the aspens just beyond the boundary, they provide superb fall foliage in early October.
The forest soon opens up into a sparse growth of Douglas fir and shrubs, and the jagged spires of Agnes Mountain rise in regal grandeur to the west. The trail now flirts with the edge of the Agnes Gorge for the first time, with its sheer walls of Skagit gneiss facing the wooded slopes of the near bank. After crossing a pretty woodland stream, the path begins to descend through an old-growth stand of grand fir, Douglas fir, and western red cedar. Steep cliffs now line both sides of the gorge, and a spur path leads to an old bridge footing for a humbling clifftop perspective of the chasm. There are no safety restraints here—stay away from the edge! The main trail continues straight ahead, making a brief but rather steep descent to the water’s edge at the upper end of the gorge. Here, a roaring cataract plunges into a turquoise pool, and hardy conifers grow from chinks in the rugged cliffs.
Miles and Directions
0.0 Agnes Gorge Trailhead near High Bridge Camp.
1.2 Trail enters the Glacier Peak Wilderness.
2.4 Overlook of Agnes Gorge and waterfalls.
2.5 Trail ends beside Agnes Creek.
Waterfall in Agnes Gorge