Looking for some clean air? Now is the time to hike the high country

The summer peak has passed, and with the snow gone it is time to head to the high country.

If you are lucky and time a trip on a day with blue skies and no smoke, you will get to experience the remarkable beauty of the Cascades at their very best.

Within three hours’ drive of the Tri-Cities, there are dozens of trails that access the high country through White Pass and Chinook Pass, or the Interstate 90 corridor. The distance is close enough that you can do a single-day trip or a quick weekend getaway with one or two nights under the stars.

Once you get to the trailheads, you can slowly work your way up in elevation, as the trails wind their way through forests toward the spectacular flower- and rock-strewn ridgelines, saddles and mountain tops.

Here are several great hiking options:

Esmeralda Basin is located at the end of the North Fork Teanaway Road, northwest of Cle Elum, off I-90. The hike climbs slowly and steadily up 1,700 feet in 4.5 miles going through old forest and meadows filled with incredible varieties of wildflowers, and then up the sides of rocky hillsides to Fortune Creek Pass, which offers one of the most striking views of the Cascades you will ever experience.

About 3 miles from the trailhead, you will hit a junction with Trail 1226 that heads one mile north and up some 500 feet to a beautiful pass overlooking Lake Ann. Then you can go back the mile and head back up to the top of the ridge. The stunning views from Fortune Creek pass look west directly at Hawkins Mountain, Mount Daniel and Mount Hinman to the northwest. If you scramble up the rocky hill to the south of the pass, Mount Rainier can be seen beyond Gallagher Head Lake along with Ingalls Peak to the north.

Shriner’s Peak Lookout Trail is a 7.5-mile out-and-back trail located on the east side of Mount Rainier National Park, 7.5 miles south of the junction of highways 410 and 123. The hike offers beautiful wild flowers and does not get a lot of traffic. It is a steep, steady climb and is rated as moderate to difficult. The top has a fire lookout and a 360-degree view with a direct, in-your-face, front-on view of Mount Rainier from the east, Adams and Mount St. Helens to the south and west.

Paradise Glacier Trail via Mazama Ridge and the Skyline Trail is an 8-mile out-and-back trail from Reflection Lakes, east of the Paradise Visitors Center, in Mount Rainier National Park. It starts at the parking lot along the Stevens Canyon Road. Mazama Ridge lies on the southern flank of Mount Rainier and you can reach the Paradise Glacier and have a truly high alpine experience within 2 hours of steady uphill hiking once you leave the parking lot. There are a lot of trails on Mount Rainier, so get a good map on the way in to the park and use it when you hike. Be careful to mark the trail junctions so you can return to your starting point.

Naches Peak Loop Trail, right at the top of Chinook Pass along Highway 410, is a great two- to three-hour hike for the kids. This very popular hiking trail is nearly flat, so it’s best to get there early or you may have to wait for a parking spot. But it is worth it because of the incredible range of high alpine experiences in a just a short distance. Head east and to the south around the east side of Naches Peak and past Dewey Lake. Go past a trail junction and onto the Pacific Crest Trail, and then onto the Naches Peak Trail. You’ll head north across flower-strewn meadows with an absolutely stunning view of Mount Rainier. Bring your camera, since this is exceptionally picturesque and it is easy to get fantastic photos. Follow this trail back to the Tipsoo Lake parking lot and up along the road to the Chinook Pass parking lot.

The Sheep Lake and Sourdough Gap trail starts on the east side of the parking lot on Highway 410 on Chinook Pass. This is a relatively flat, gentle 4-mile out-and-back to Sheep Lake, with a rocky gap providing wonderful sweeping views. You can enjoy the late summer subalpine wildflowers, relax and get your feet wet. The trail goes in and out of the trees. It offers a spectacular view straight down the Rainier Fork of the American River and tantalizing glimpses of Mount Rainier and Naches Peak.

The trail goes around Sheep Lake and then begins a climb along the valley wall up to Sourdough Gap, getting more and more beautiful as the elevation increases. Looking south on a clear day, there are postcard views of the South Cascades, including Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens, Placer Lake and Norse Peak to the north, and the Pacific Crest Trail as it continues north above the Crystal Lakes basin.

Wherever you go, check the weather ahead of time, anticipate weather changes, and bring extra clothes (especially raingear), food, water and snacks. Bring the 13 hiking essentials.