Mileage: 3 miles RT
Elevation Gain/Highest: 1200/4838 ft
Map: Green Trails No. 333 McCoy Peak
Favorite Eats After Hike: Farelli’s Wood Fire Grill, Cliff Droppers, White Pass Taqueria, or just Pack A Cooler. You can learn more about these places in my Must Hike Must Eat Eating Out Guide.
Find out current conditions and as always, practice Leave No Trace. Pretty please.
Hike Details:
Tongue Mountain is a short but sweet trail near White Pass with views of Mount Rainier, Adams and St. Helens! There are three possible approaches, the quickest one beginning from the same trailhead as Juniper Ridge. The first mile is open to stock and bikes but the half mile spur trail takes you up a series of switchbacks to a saddle between two rocky summits with views across to 3 of Washington State’s most popular volcanoes.
My Hike:
5/30/2016
We did Juniper Ridge on Saturday so we knew the road was good to Tongue Mountain. We arrived to an empty trailhead and had the trail to ourselves 7:30-10am, no bikes. Just like Juniper, the trail is open to bikes the first mile but in much better condition.
There is a sign here that marks the spur trail for hikers only and it becomes a much narrower and less rutted path as it switchbacks half a mile up to the saddle between the twin summits. The views begin to peak through the trees at the promise of what is to come.
We ascended the lower summit and had panoramic views that included Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens.
I ventured up the rock of the true summit a short distance as I felt comfortable, just enough to see Mt Adams peek from behind the lower summit.
Both summits of Tongue Mountain are a scramble or boot path up the rock with a little exposure and hands are needed. If you want to call the saddle your turnaround point, you will still have a wonderful view!
I was glad we came back today and the mountains were on display. It makes me want to return to Juniper Ridge on a blue sky day to see more of the landscape we missed due to the gray skies.
We did see that you can start down on FR 29 on a long trail that follows the contour of the mountain so we may try that route to Tongue Mountain next time! If you have whole day to explore you can hike Juniper across the road or, do what I did and add the much more congested High Rock Lookout to your day as you drive back out of the mountains.
Directions: From Randle, drive 1 mile south on Forest Road 25 (the main intersection in town) and then turn left (east) onto FR 23. Continue south 9 miles and turn right onto FR 28. Continue 1 mile and turn left onto FR 29. Four miles down FR 29, turn left onto FR 2904, and in another 4 miles look for the trailhead on the left (north) side of the road.
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