Honestly not sure if there is a better view to be had! You could just take it in from the parking…read morelot (it's worth the drive up), or embark on one of many hikes which originate from the trail head. Even the short trails give you unbeatable views of Baker and Shuksan. Definitely check snow and weather conditions before you drive up, especially in the shoulder season. It's otherwise usually closed in the winter. Will be back for sure!

World class views and potential photos here with minimal effort so long as the snow conditions are…read morenot a problem for your vehicle, driving skills, or patience.

Just did this trail yesterday. We made it to the lookout. There are some snow crossing which you…read morehave to be careful on. There are a few creek passing that you have to navigate around. Poles would make your hike more enjoyable. We didn't bring crampons but would suggest you bring some just in case. Very beautiful hike and the glacier view is amazing.

My 9-year-old practically ran up this hike, he is in great shape! Took my family and spent about…read more3-hours round trip. Awesome old-growth trees, some work on the trail, lots of switch-backs, great views of the mountains, amazing waterfalls. The last creek to cross was too much for me, but my brother & dad made it across and the glacier views are worth crossing (their photos were incredible)! I saw a few dogs packed in backpacks to cross the moving water (no bridges, expect to get wet!), and many folks used poles for assistance. It was a busy day of hikers. Scenic views all around! You have to get your pass to park at the Rangers station, and there's a "toilet" trail which consisted of a wooden box, so bring your toilet paper. Temperatures changed from 60 degrees in Glacier to 50 degrees when we parked at the trailhead and hiked up. Be sure to wear layers and boots to get wet/muddy, as the water crossings are more like jumping across rushing water!

I highly recommend visiting Mount Baker and the Picture Lake area of the mountain. The views are…read moreextraordinary, it's a great way to spend the summer. The roads to the mountain are only open in the summer.

Gorgeous as always! Perfect day for a picnic lunch- making sure not to drop any food. Pack it in…read morepack it out! Do not feed wildlife or leave any trash. There were three boys from a family who decided to walk off path and waited for them to correct their behavior. When they didn't I told them to get back on the trail- don't be one of those humans who thinks nature is there just for them. Leave it better than you found it!

One of the most iconic, gorgeous, and fun-to-climb mountains in the Cascades…read more It's probably my #1 favorite. "Mt Baker" ski resort is actually located right on this mountain. Shuksan has numerous super-classic routes: Fisher Chimneys (rock, glaciers, snow, a little bit of everything), North Face (high angle goodness), Sulphide Glacier (great beginner ski mountaineering route), and White Salmon glacier (not so classic...actually). If you don't care about climbing, Artist's Point is one of the most iconic places to photograph the peak.

As I start this review I see a picture of someone doing a climb to the peak in this entry on Yelp…read more I'm not nearly that rugged or adventurous but Mount Shuksan is a beautiful mountain peak to see! You get fantastic views of it at Picture Lake and up at Artist Point. At the top of Artist Point you get a great panoramic view of the area. Mount Shuksan is a non volcanic peak and while Mount Baker which is the other major peak you see at the point is volcanic. Mount Shuksan is also in the North Cascades National Park while Mount Baker is in the Mount Baker National Forest area. So you are very close to a couple of boundaries in this area... and of course farther north is Canada. When we went to the Artist Point area there was some haze from forest fires but that didn't stop us from getting some really great pictures of the scenery. I was most taken with Mount Shuksan and I wound up taking a lot more pictures of that peak than Mount Baker but the whole area is a true sight to behold.

This was a great day trip when we stayed in Bellingham. There's lots to see and the area is so…read morebeautiful. Whether you are a hiker or you just want pretty views, there's a lot worth driving for. We went in September so we didn't do any snow activities. The weather was cool and we just went for the cool views and the scenic drive. By the time we got to Artist's Point, it was VERY windy and a little bit colder, but the walk was nice and the views were great of the mountain. Picture Lake is a beautiful spot, although I wish they have more picnic tables. You can also stay in a cabin in this area, which sounded awesome. Maybe next time. We went during COVID times, and not everyone was wearing a mask, so be sure to keep your distance. Also, if you're into Pokemon, I took over a gym and my Pokemon lasted several days in there before being kicked out. I couldn't believe it!

Beautiful area with snowy mountains and beautiful waterfalls. Definitely a great drive and you can…read moreget out and hike and walk!

The amazing power of these falls... just be sure to stay on the trail and don't be a stupid human…read moretrying to get the ultimate selfie that'll cost you your life!!! Observe and respect Mother Nature! just gorgeous

Nooksack Falls truly took my breath away. The drive there alone on Mount Baker Highway was…read moreexquisite. What is so mind blowing about a waterfall? Everything. I believe you feel a sense of peace in the presence of one. The sound of the powerful water, the mist surrounding, and the wet air is quite the moment.

There is really no such thing as Lake Ann Trail from my POV. There is a pathway that leads to Lake…read moreAnn, but if your sole intention is hiking to Lake Ann, you're doing yourself a disservice. Lake Ann is mediocre. It's an average looking lake with no redeeming qualities. Let me explain what the trail to Lake Ann is really about... It's part of the much bigger MAPLE PASS TRAIL. Yes, Maple Pass is what you want!!! It's a showstopper! All Lake Ann offers is a little side-trek walk to an alpine bowl shoreline. But Maple Pass is an outstanding 7.5 mile loop trail going high above, over and around Lake Ann for stunning panoramic vista point perspectives of the Rainy Lake section of North Cascades National Park. Although there are so many wonderful hiking trails at North Cascades, I highly suggest including Maple Pass as part of your itinerary. Only heading to the "toe" of Lake Ann won't provide a successful journey or wining feeling in any sort of memorable way. Lol, if I haven't reiterated it enough, Maple Pass is the real hero trail! Let me back up just one moment... This Lake Ann - Maple Pass Trail is located in the Rainy Lake Picnic Area of the park. Be aware of this. It's not to be confused with the other side of Highway 20 and the Rainy Lake Trails side. The Picnic Area is what you want! I stopped on by around 1:30pm back over peak summertime visitation season and the Rainy Lake Picnic Area parking lot was completely full. I had to park along the shoulder of Highway 20 and walk 5 minutes to the trailhead. A lot of people were parked on Highway 20 which offers enough spacing between your car and passing traffic to feel safe. Although it's free to visit North Cascades National Park, it's a $5 fee to hike at the Rainy Lake Picnic Area. I'd suggest to be prepared with a $5 bill and or check (with a pen) to pay at the self-service station. I don't believe they accepted credit cards from what I can recall. Btw, if you are curious as to what Rainy Lake actually looks like, if you veer left from the trailhead, it's a casual 0.9 mile walk (each way) along flat ground. But Rainy Lake is nothing special either. Just like Lake Ann, I'd skip Rainy Lake. Start the hike to Maple Pass because it could take half the day, especially if you spend time at the summit admiring the sweeping views. And if you are curious as to what Lake Ann may look like, you'll find the side path for it right before the elevated climb beginning up towards Maple Pass. Overall, I'd rate Maple Pass as strenuous, but if you manage your time well and stop for photos, you'll be handsomely rewarded with dramatic sights looking down upon Lake Ann and even be eye level with the rugged peaks of the North Cascades Mountain Range! Trekking higher on Maple Pass...Heather Pass is about 3/4ths of the way up the mountain. And it's here at Heather Pass where the scenery starts to thrill. Eventually the entire 360 degree landscape opens up with unlimited opportunities to bask in the glow of nature. At this point, Lake Ann will look like a little blip on the radar in the context of how high up the mountainside you are. It's at the height of the hike and coming upon Maple Pass where I felt contentment knowing all the hard work and grinding uphill was worth it. Finally, the descent back down the mountainside starts with an immediate set of switchbacks among a gorgeous cliffside backdrop before reentering below the tree-line horizon again. This back-half section finishing the total loop will add an extra 90 or so minutes making the entire Maple Pass Trail 5 hours long (including briefly stopping at Lake Ann), which is more than manageable for any moderately motivated hiker. Overall, North Cascades is one of the most underappreciated national parks in the USA and there's an abundance of amazing hikes here that barely get any sort of recognition. Although Lake Ann doesn't stand out whatsoever, it's Maple Pass Trail climbing above the bowl that Lake Ann's situated in that's the ultimate prize for the difficult endeavor.

First, the bad news: this trail is uphill both-ways…read more Sure, you'll feel cool hiking in. "Wow, this is easy", you'll exclaim. It's easy because you're losing 500 ft of gain, right off the bat. You're gonna have to go back up on the way out! Anyway, it's a great trail. It can have lots of downed trees on it early season and it can take a while to melt out so, DO YOUR RESEARCH! Some years there's snow on the trail well into August! The trail ends at Lake Ann. It's a gorgeous area. Only climbers should start to venture out of the Lake Ann area and towards the mountain. #safetyfirst

Lake Ann did not disappoint. Breathtaking vistas, meadows, glaciers, and of course the lake. It is…read morerated on the Washington Trails Association as a HARD hike. Approximately 8.2 miles round trip 1900 feet elevation gain, with the highest point 4900 feet. I do recommend getting there early, before 9am, as the parking lot is very small and fills quickly! 4 stars because of the crowds. The trail starts downhill which is a confidence booster especially when you are backpacking. But what goes down, must come up! The last mile is probably what classifies this hike as hard. Hiking up, over loose gravel and boulders and up to almost 5000 feet elevation is difficult for us non-Colorado living people. On the trail you cross many small creek beds that were almost all dried up when we went here at the end of the summer. There is plenty of water at the lake for water source. There are multiple well groomed areas for tents along the trail uphill from the lake. I appreciated these spots at night when the mosquitoes came out and we're a nuisance (only when getting water). Speaking of night... do dress for cold weather! You do get the breeze coming off of Shuksan's glaciers. Very little salmon berries left on the main trail but plenty of huckleberries left. Night time is beautiful. The sky is completely full of stars and the sound of waterfalls coming out of the glaciers is relaxing. No campfires allowed at the lake. Pack out trash and human and animal waste. Trailhead provides blue bags for this.

If you're a hiker: Lake Ann is a gorgeous place to camp! You have sweeping views of Mt Shuksan and…read moreit's cracking Upper and Lower Glaciers. Rushing waterfalls augment the flanks of these enormous sheets of ice. The lake is a deep blue and there is plenty of flat space to find the perfect camp site. If you're a climber: this makes for a LONG summit day. Best to keep moving and camp higher on the peak.