Hike of the Week: Wapaloosie Mountain

A pair of hikers enjoy sweeping views of the Kettle Crest from Wapaloosie's open summit

Wapaloosie Mountain

And a wapaloosie of a peak it is!




by Craig Romano
photo by Craig Romano
produced by Michael Fagin

September 15, 2006

Quick Facts
Location: Kettle River Mountain Range, NE Washington
Land Agency: (US Forest Service) Colville National Forest
Roundtrip: 6.0 miles
Elevation gain: 2,000 feet
Access: From Republic, WA head east on SR 20 for 21 miles, turning left onto FR 2030 (Albion Hill Road). Follow this gravel road for 3.3 miles to the trailhead located on your left.

One of the highest summits on the Kettle Crest, Wapaloosie Mountain offers extensive views and some of the finest alpine meadows in eastern Washington. With a predominantly southeastern exposure, the Wapaloosie Trail melts outs early. A hot hike in mid-summer, by September the conditions are just right for ascending this peak.
The base of the mountain is surrounded by wetlands, meaning there is always a chance of spotting a wayward moose. Beginning in a thick forest of lodgepole pine, the trail crosses a tributary of the North Fork of Sherman Creek-the only reliable water source on this hike. Starting easy, the trail soon gets down to business commencing in climbing. In one mile, break out from under the forest canopy to begin traversing the magical and majestic meadows of Wapaloosie.
The going gets easier as the trail ascends through a series of long switchbacks. The eastern side of the Kettle Mountains sees little range activity, native fescue grasses proliferate here. In summer, wildflowers brush pastels and bright colors across the meadows. A fragrance of sun-baked sage permeates in the air.
Views are fantastic ranging from BC’s Rossland Range to the Abercrombie-Hooknose highlands. The Twin Sisters, Mack Mountain, and King Mountain stand out like emerald sentinels guarding the eastern flank of the Kettle Crest. Flickering birds in the sage, scurrying ground squirrels in the grasses, and flitting butterflies in the blossoms will keep your eyes peeled close by as well.
In 2.7 miles reach the Kettle Crest Trail. From this junction it’s a short and easy off-trail ramble to Wapaloosie’s 7,018 foot summit. Head northeast through meadows and open forest of Englemann spruce and whitebark pine for about a quarter mile. A large cairn complete with a trail register marks the broad summit’s high point.


Wapaloosie Mountain is one of the featured hikes in the book, Best Hikes with Dogs Inland Northwest. This book is the most complete hiking source to the Kettle River Range.