Linda's Lens

Friday, November 14, 2025

Goat Rocks Wilderness, Snowgrass Trail

While I've been busy documenting my June Scandinavia trip, summer and fall have marched on. I spent my summer as I always do, on the hiking trails chasing wildflower blooms. While a lot of my treks covered the usual places that I've already posted about multiple times, there were a few "new to me" destinations this year. One of these was Southwest Washington's Goat Rocks Wilderness.

Snowgrass trailhead

The Goat Rocks Wilderness is an alpine area along the spine of Southwest Washington's Cascade Mountains. This popular backpacking destination is known for its craggy peaks, sparkling alpine lakes, and amazing fields of colorful wildflowers. The Pacific Crest Trail passes through this wilderness area, and many PCT through hikers say it's one of the high points of their journey.

Hubby on a sturdy hiker bridge

For years I've wanted to hike here, but two things always held me back. One - it's a long drive to the trailheads, over three hours from where I live. Two - nearly all of the trails require hikes of over 10 miles to reach the scenic areas, which is why most people backpack into the Goat Rocks. Although I have the gear, I haven't backpacked in many years. I don't feel I'm still fit enough to haul heavy loads for many miles and multiple days. And I enjoy sleeping in my own bed at night.

Gentians were in bloom!

However in early August, when the wildflower bloom was at its peak, one of my Facebook friends posted photos from a dayhike into the Goat Rocks Wilderness. She'd hiked the Snowgrass Trail up to an area called Snowgrass Flats and back in one day, with plenty of time to drive home. This trip report provided the inspiration I needed. If my friend could do it, then so could I!

The intersection of the Snowgrass and Lily Basin trails

Through online research I discovered the Snowgrass trail was only eight miles round trip and 1600 feet elevation gain to Snowgrass Flats. This was totally doable! And although Google maps showed a travel time to the trailhead of three hours 15 minutes, I convinced myself the long day of driving would be worth it.

For such a long journey, I really wanted some company, so I convinced my hubby to join me for this latest adventure. After a check of the forecast, I picked a day in mid August for our big trek.

Lots of gentians blooming here

In the meantime, two days before my planned hike I visited the doctor for a persistent rash on my ankle. It had bothered me for three weeks, and wasn't showing any signs of going away. The doctor I saw (sadly not my primary care doc) couldn't name the cause, but instead prescribed a short round of Prednisone. Although having my doubts, I filled the prescription and dutifully took the required doses. As anyone who's been on Prednisone knows, this drug makes you feel very jittery and can keep you awake at night. Although quite annoying, this side effect proved to be advantageous for my planned hike.

Continuing uphill to meet the PCT

The morning of my Goat Rocks hike arrived. Hubby and I awoke early and, after a cup of tea, I was more than ready to hit the road. Feeling the effects of the Prednisone, the drive didn't bother me in the least. The only hard part was navigating the final 16 miles of bumpy, gravel forest service roads.

Lots of Western pasqueflower seed heads

The Snowgrass Trailhead was surprisingly large, and there were a fair amount of vehicles already parked here, especially for a weekday. I was happy to find a clean, well stocked pit toilet. After taking care of business, Hubby and I laced up our boots, shouldered our backpacks, and headed for the trail. Goat Rocks, here we come!

Looking back to Mt. St. Helens' flat top

At first the Snowgrass trail wandered through a thick fir forest, with a few minor ups and downs. It was quite pretty, but with the thick tree canopy, views were pretty much nil. Huckleberry bushes grew in abundance, but I didn't see many berries. I assumed they'd already been picked by other hikers. Two miles in, Hubby and I crossed Goat Creek over a sturdy log bridge.

PCT intersection and Mt. Rainier

For the first two miles, our trail had been relatively flat. That all changed after we crossed Goat Creek. The tread started climbing steeply. Hubby and I huffed and puffed through several switchbacks. Although the morning had started out with pleasantly cool temperatures, the air seemed to get hotter the higher we rose. A couple peek-a-boo views of the adjacent mountains through tree gaps kept me going. That and I was looking forward to seeing the vast wildflower meadows of Snowgrass Flats.

The views along the PCT were tremendous

At about 3.5 miles, we passed by a path called the "Bypass Trail" which confused me for a second. Consulting my map to be sure of the route reinforced that we should stay on the Snowgrass Trail. After another half mile or so of climbing, just when I was beginning to wonder when we'd get there, Hubby and I arrived at a junction of the Snowgrass and Lily Basin trails. A wide alpine meadow fanned out from the junction. This was the famous Snowgrass Flats.

Sadly, the only wildflowers left in bloom were the royal blue gentians and hundreds of poofy Western Pasqueflower seed heads. Although these flowers were nice, unfortunately I'd arrived a bit too late for the colorful blossoms of the other wildflowers.

Butterflies were out in force

After all that climbing, it was time for a break. Hubby and I found a spot near the trail junction and took an early lunch. In that time several hikers (all backpackers) passed by. I chatted with one group, asking if they'd seen any wildflowers, and one man pointed down the Lily Basin trail and said we should go to Goat Lake, where they were still blooming. However, after consulting my map, I realized this side trip would end up being a 12-mile day. Hubby, who hadn't hiked as much as I had this summer and adjusting to some new orthotics, vetoed the idea.

Butterfly photo session

After finishing our lunch, the day was still early (it was not yet noon) and I didn't want to head back quite yet. The Snowgrass trail continued uphill past Snowgrass Flats and according to my map, after a short distance it intersected with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT.) It was possible to make a loop hike returning via the Bypass trail we'd seen earlier. So I suggested to Hubby that we go a little bit further. Happily, he agreed to my plan.

Another orange beauty

So our uphill journey continued a little bit longer. But now the forest had given way to an open alpine environment and the views of the surrounding mountains were wonderful. We passed by more fields of gentians and pasqueflower seed pods, as well as many backpacker camping spots, some filled with tents. It was only a mile further to the PCT, but the trek seemed to take forever. Again, just as I was wondering if we'd taken the wrong way, a wooden sign announcing this famous trail came into view.

Nice patch of gentians

And, oh, where the views amazing from this trail junction! Mt. Rainier rose prominently from one direction. The flat top of Mt. St. Helens was visible in another. And looking towards the north, we could see several prominent, rocky pinnacles of the Goat Rocks Wilderness. And of course, the pasqueflower show continued in the green alpine valleys between the peaks.

So many Western pasqueflower seed heads!

The PCT continued along this rocky ridge. My hubby and I continued southward on the PCT towards the Bypass Trail. This one mile trek between the Snowgrass and Bypass trails was the best past of our entire hike. We had views of all the mountains. Gentians and pasqueflower seed heads dotted the meadows. It was a sunny, clear day so we could see everything.

Love these deep blue flowers

If that wasn't enough, Hubby and I ran into a small patch of purple asters, beginning to wither in the glaring sunshine. Flitting amongst the blooms were several lovely orange butterflies. For me, all forward progression immediately halted and my camera came out. I spent a happy 20 minutes or so chasing these elusive insects around the asters (it seemed every time I'd lock focus on one, it would promptly fly away.) Not to be outdone, Hubby joined in the photographic fun with his cell phone.

Butterfly and bee on pearly everlasting

After filling my memory card with tons of butterfly images, it was time to march on. We passed several PCT through hikers, all looking quite weary after being on the trail for weeks. Hubby and I chatted with one friendly older man who was spending a few days backpacking in the wilderness area, and he encouraged us to come back and camp out. Finally after passing an enormous rock cairn, the junction with our return path, the Bypass trail, came into view.

Now that's a cairn!

The Bypass trail was also pretty. It was lined with several small flower gardens. We crossed a lovely stream, where a few pink monkeyflowers still bloomed. And in one green meadow I found a huge patch of magenta Indian paintbrush. At least I wasn't entirely skunked in the wildflower hunt!

Monkeyflowers at a creek crossing

When the Bypass trail reconnected with the Snowgrass trail, we headed back down a now familiar route that we'd climbed that morning. On the way back down, Hubby and I crossed paths with several large parties of backpackers huffing and puffing uphill. In the mid-afternoon summer heat, they all looked pretty spent. It seemed to take a long while, but finally we crossed the log bridge. It wouldn't be long now!

Or would it? The final two miles seemed to take forever. And there was a lot more uphill than I'd remembered from our outbound trek. But under the influence of the Prednisone, I felt like superman (or wonder woman.) I wasn't tired in the least, and bounded down the trail at full speed. I felt invincible! Although knowing we'd hiked way more miles than the 8 I'd promised, to his credit, Hubby never once complained.

Magenta paintbrush patch

After a final dusty mile, the parking lot and trailhead finally came into view. What a sight for sore eyes (and feet!) My gps tallied a total of 12 miles and nearly 2300 feet of elevation gain. Quite a bit more mileage than my Hubby had desired, but considering the fabulous views we'd enjoyed along the PCT, I think he forgave me.

Lovely red carpet!

We ended the day with dinner at a brewpub in the nearby town of Packwood, before jumping into the car for the long drive home. But still a bit jittery from the Prednisone, I drove the entire way home no problem.

My exploratory hike into the Goat Rocks Wilderness was a smashing success! It's left me hungry for more. Next year I plan to whip myself into backpacking shape and tackle more trails in this amazing wilderness area. And I'm definitely going to hit peak wildflower season. Stay tuned for next August.....

Saturday, November 8, 2025

So Long Scandinavia, It's Been Fun!

(A multi-part recap of my early June Scandinavia trip.)

Eighteen days, three countries, four cities, countless memories. On my final day in Bergen, it was hard to believe this Scandinavia trip was coming to an end. It seemed just yesterday that my friend Kim and I were experiencing our first bleary, jet-lagged day in Stockholm.

Bergenhus Fortress

However, my friends and I were determined to wring every minute out of this last day in Norway. After breakfast, Alicia decided she wanted to visit a few museums. However after fourteen days of touring Kim, Debbie, and I were museumed-out and instead opted for an exploratory walk around town. So we went about our separate adventures for the morning, with a plan to meet up later in the afternoon.

Going to check out the fortress

Debbie, Kim and I headed down the waterfront past the Bryggen market district. We noticed the large stone walls of the Bergenhus Fortress looming on a hill ahead. My friends and I made a snap decision to check the place out. It had been closed the previous day due to a large music festival next door. But the festival was supposedly over so maybe we could get a tour?

Rosenkrantz Tower

Although the music festival had finished the prior day, part of the fortress grounds were still closed for clean up. Kim, Debbie and I wandered into a large courtyard surrounded by smaller buildings. A tall, stone structure called Rosenkrantz Tower rose high into the sky behind us. Checking in with the main building, we discovered there was a museum here. However, admission to the museum was a bit expensive, and it didn't include access to the Rosenkrantz Tower, which charged a separate (and equally expensive) entrance fee. Although it would've been fun to explore the fortress tower, none of us thought access was worth that amount of money.

Fortress interior

So instead my friends and I wandered around the part of Bergenhaus Fortress that was free and open to the public - which wasn't a large area. Pretty much the courtyard and that was it.

Intersection of old buildings

From our walking tour the other day I'd learned that there had been fortifications on this hillside dating from the 1240s. Over the years, different rulers had built various buildings and royal families had made their homes here. During the 1500s the Danish modified Rosenkrantz Tower, building it taller, as a demonstration of power to keep the German cod merchants in line. Instead of aiming their cannons at the harbor, they pointed them at the Bryggen fish market.

Lots of large ships tied up at the harbor

So after a quick exploration of Bergenhaus Fortress, my friends and I ambled down to the adjacent waterfront. Several huge ships were tied up at the harbor wall. The far end of this harbor was a docking area for the cruise ships that visited Bergen. Apparently cruises were big business here, as evidenced by the large amount of people we'd seen walking from the docking area over the past three days. On this cloudy Sunday morning however, we saw only one cruise ship and a large red research vessel.

We revisited the fish market

Where to go next? Consulting Google maps, I noticed a large park on the tip of a peninsula that jutted out into the fjord. Since this park was on the opposite side of Vågen Harbor, it would be a bit of a walk to reach. But we had all morning! So my friends and I decided to go find it.

Checking out the seafood

Because it was on our way, Kim, Debbie, and I walked through the Bergen Fish Market. Although we'd visited on our first night in town, the emphasis then was more on getting something to eat for dinner. Today, however my friends and I took our time, checking out the seafood stalls and gaping at some of the more unusual offerings.

Salted cod, a staple here for many years

Bergen built an entire industry on selling salted cod. For over 400 years it monopolized fish trade in the Baltic sea. Centuries ago, gutted cod was salted and set in the sun to dry. Once dried, the fish would last for years. Walking around today's fish market, I learned some businesses still use this method of preservation, as I noticed a bunch of hard, flat fish filets hanging from one of the booth's walls. It sure didn't look very appetizing!

Lots of good things to buy

Besides seafood, there were stalls selling all kinds of meat products - including sausage made from reindeer, moose, and whale. And there were food stands offering local delicacies such as whale burgers. Although the thought of eating whale horrifies us Americans, the Norwegians think nothing of it. (I always make a point to try as much of the local cuisine as possible, however I drew the line at whale.)

I'll pass on the whale burger.....

This shrimp dish looked yummy

It was quite a large market!

Past the fish market, my friends and I wandered through a business district that morphed into a residential area. It was interesting to see the small homes and apartment buildings stacked on top of each other, climbing up some extremely steep streets.

Glimpses of the fjord

Finally the residential neighborhood gave way to a large, wooded forest. This was the park we'd walked across town to visit. It was quite a lovely green area, with tall trees and lush grassy lawn. Through gaps in the vegetation, I could see glimpses of water. A graveled walkway led us through the woods until it came out at a bluff above the sea. We'd reached the end of the peninsula - and from here the fjord's waters stretched out in every direction.

Beautiful wooded Nordnes Park

I found out later this gem of a place was called Nordnes Park, one of many public parks in Bergen.

Nice walkway around the water

A wide walkway followed the water around the peninsula's tip. On one side you could see Vågen Harbor, and on the other was a body of water known as Puddefjorden, or Puddle Fjord. Judging by the number of large cargo ships on this fjord's opposite shore, it appeared lots of industries were located there.

Selfie time!

A lone man fishing

This being Sunday we spotted lots of people out enjoying the park and shore area. One man was perched above the water, trying his luck at fishing.

Totem pole from Seattle - Bergen's sister city

Yesterday we'd learned that our PNW neighbor Seattle was Bergen's sister city. In one part of the park sat a tall totem pole, sent from Seattle in 1970 as a gift to celebrate Bergen's 900th anniversary.

Swimming pool right next to the fjord

I'd heard Scandinavians love to swim outdoors, and will do so year-round. On one side of the park my friends and I spied a large swimming pool sited directly adjacent to the fjords edge. I later learned this was a heated saltwater pool, and people who used it had the option to take a dip in the adjacent harbor's waters.

Unique brick building

After walking a circuit through Nordnes Park we came out into another residential area. Directly across the street from the park was a large, ornate brick building. I don't know if it housed apartments - but the building was so stunning I couldn't help but take a bunch of photos.

Colorful blooming bushes

Many buildings fit the steep streets

My friends and I wandered along a cobblestone lane that led us past many interesting buildings. Some of them were stair-stepped down the steep side streets.

Cute wrought iron balcony

One building had the cutest wrought iron balconies.

Entrance to Fredriksberg Fortress

Strolling along this street for a few blocks, we came upon yet another old, stone fortress. This one appeared to have been turned into a public park. There wasn't any admission charge, so my friends and I ambled through the grand, stone-lined entrance.

Inside the fortress

Later research identified this place as Fredriksberg Fortress. Built in the 1600s on a high point in the peninsula, it served as strategic military stronghold. In later years, it was used as a place for executions and then as military storage. The most recent use, in the early 1900s, was as a fire station.

Walking out the entrance doors

Inside the fortress walls was a large, grassy area. Two low towers sat up on an elevated area. Climbing up to this area gave commanding views of the Puddle Fjord. I could see why the fortress had been placed here.

This blue building is surrounded by roads

Outer view of Fredriksberg Fortress

From the fortress high point, my friends and I started to make our way back downhill, following steep, narrow lanes that wound through more residential areas.

Church steeple

I passed by a telephone booth that had been converted into a little free library. It even had the old phone inside! I'm not sure if it still worked though.

Old phone booth now a little library

Debbie tries it out

One neighborhood in particular had the cutest little houses, all painted in bright colors.

Lots of yellow flowers in the lawn (they were not dandelions)

Some of the homes had gardens engulfing their entire tiny yards. Colorful flowers bloomed in some, while others appeared to be growing vegetables.

Many homes had large gardens in their tiny backyards

This row of brightly painted houses was my favorite street in Bergen. (Many photos may have been taken!)

A colorful row of houses

These houses were so cute!

From the charming colorful houses, we spotted a narrow, super-steep street plummeting downhill. It seemed to lead in the direction we wanted to go, so my friends and I followed the lane down, down, down. It was quite a knee-pounding experience!

Getting ready to walk down a cobblestone street

Could you imagine living on such a street? Where does one put their garbage can on pick up day? Where did people park their cars? It didn't look wide enough to accommodate vehicles.

This cobblestone street was extremely steep

Interesting door

By now it was past noon and after all that walking, Kim, Debbie and I were starving. Passing by the fish market area once again, we all decided on a second consecutive lunch at "Fish Me," our new favorite Bergen restaurant.

We returned to "Fish Me" restaurant for a second time

Our repeat visit was just as good as the first. This time I ordered a seafood sampler consisting of two types of shrimp salads, smoked salmon, and a tomato-rich green salad. Oh, so good!

The seafood platter was delicious - and a lot of food!

View from our restaurant

After a great lunch, Debbie sent Alicia a text message and we met up with her at a local ice cream shop. On the way over, my friends and I ran into a few people from the other Rick Steves Scandinavia tour, which was two days behind ours. It was the final day for these folks, and they were enjoying a free afternoon before their farewell dinner that evening.

Walking back through the fish market

It was especially fun to reconnect with Terry and Bruce, a couple from Illinois who we'd met at breakfast way back in our Stockholm hotel. We all ended up sitting in the courtyard behind the ice cream shop and chatting for a long time. After exchanging contact info, I snapped a quick selfie of the group for posterity. Terry and Bruce, we hope to see you on again on a future RS adventure!

Bergen harbor scene

After enjoying a late afternoon drink in a nearby Irish pub (Debbie again for the win - she had a knack for finding them in every city!) it was time to for a bit of dinner. And although in the past three days I'd accomplished nearly everything from my Bergen wish list, there was one final item still unfulfilled. I wanted to try an authentic reindeer hot dog.

In Bergen if you want hot dogs, the one and only place to go was a small stand called 3-kroneren. Boasting a large selection of sausages, it was reputed to be the best hot dog kiosk in the city, if not all of Europe. And lucky for me, it was a mere two blocks from the Irish pub.

Meeting up with Terry and Bruce from the other RS tour

It didn't take much to convince my friends to go get a hot dog. So we four ladies walked down the street and stood in a fairly long line before bellying up to the window. Of course I ordered a reindeer hot dog. It came fixed the traditional Norwegian way with brown mustard, crispy fried onions, and lingonberry jam. I passed on the onions (onions and I don't get along) but tried the other two condiments. Although at first a bit skeptical about berry jam on a hot dog (especially paired with mustard) after one bite I realized the combination tasted great.

Bergen's famous hot dog stand

I think my friends also tried the reindeer variety of sausage, but now months later I don't really remember. Because there wasn't any place to sit, my friends and I slowly walked down the sidewalk trying to eat our dogs and not spill on ourselves. I lost that battle - the place had been quite generous with the condiments so lingonberry jam dripped down my hands and face, making quite a sticky mess. And the kiosk only provided one napkin per dog, not nearly enough!

All kinds of wienies

Our final night in Bergen was an early one. Kim, Alicia, and I had six am flights to catch, so we all retired well before nine. After enjoying three glorious, sunny days in Bergen, it's notorious wet weather returned with a vengeance that next morning. We picked a good time to leave! As our plane taxied down the runway, I waved goodbye to Norway from a rain-streaked window.

My reindeer hot dog was huge!

What an amazing trip! I loved all three Scandinavian countries - each one was beautiful and so interesting. Our tour group was full of great people and we were led by an awesome, experienced guide. Except for one day, we lucked out and had good weather the entire time (especially in Bergen!) And the best part of all - I didn't get sick! (Masking up on the bus really paid off - Kim and I avoided catching the cold that was making its rounds through the group.) Having not known much about the Scandinavian countries before this tour, I was pleasantly surprised to discover how progressive all three were, and admired their governments for how well they took care of their people. Yes, their citizens pay high taxes, but they get so much in return.

I think my favorite town was hands-down Stockholm. I loved the Swedish people - they were so friendly and mellow. Copenhagen had the prettiest buildings (everything was so colorful) and Norway had the best scenery. I wish I could've spent another day in Oslo, there was so much to see! (I guess that just means I need to go back.) My top most memorable experiences include the fjord tour in Norway, the fishing boat ride in Sweden, and of course, the Abba Museum in Stockholm. Kim and I both agreed this was the best Rick Steves tour we've been on yet.

The gals all enjoying their hot dogs

I'd first like to thank my tour-mates - you were a fun bunch of people and I enjoyed getting to know all of you. I hope we cross paths in future Rick Steves tours. A huge shout-out to our amazing guide Nina - thanks for sharing your vast knowledge of Scandinavia with us. Your bus talks were so interesting, they always kept my attention, and I loved your sense of humor. You were so organized, we always knew what to expect each day. And I appreciated the extra activities you added to our tour. Above all, you put up with us four wild ladies who were forever taking goofy selfies of each other! Kim and I both agree you have moved into the top spot as our favorite RS guide.

Final night in Bergen

Debbie and Alicia, thanks for joining Kim and I on this tour. I had so much fun traveling with you! We made lots of good memories, searching out the "Normal" stores in every town, seeing "The Scream" at the Munch, having drinks at the ice bar in Bergen, and who can forget our singing debut at the Abba Museum? (On second thought, maybe we should forget that....) Thanks for sharing your photos with me - otherwise I probably wouldn't have any pics of myself (I'm usually the one behind the camera.) I'll forever remember our "photo dump" sessions from the back of the bus, sending cell photos to each other, our phones all pinging with endless text message notifications.

Finally, I'd like to give a huge shout-out to my good friend and best travel buddy Kim. We always have a good time wherever we go and a lot of that is due to your companionship. This was another great adventure. Thanks for putting up with me again!

Flying home over Amsterdam

If you've made it all the way through each of these massive Scandinavia blog posts, you deserve a gold medal (bonus points if you've actually read them all and not just scrolled through the pictures.) Sorting through and editing the colossal amount of photos I took, doing the research for the things I saw (because I couldn't remember everything), and finally coming up with interesting things to write was a monumental task. But it also brought back fond memories of a wonderful trip. My blog acts as an online scrapbook - a place to post photos in lieu of the old timey slide show. I create these entries mostly for myself. However, if others have enjoyed my journey, so much the better.

Kim and I have already planned two international tours for next year - Italy in April and Germany in October. (Should bring my Swiss cow Lotti?) So stay tuned for more adventures in 2026!