Hike Stilly Valley

North Mountain Lookout Hike

By Anna Arnold Grindy

If you have kids and are looking for a fun, kid-friendly hike; check out North Mountain Lookout. My son, Johnny, and I hiked the North Mountain Lookout Tower and it was a perfect length for a 4-year-old. We started the hike at 2:00 p.m. leaving enough time in our afternoon to enjoy the trails in clear fall weather. 

Climbing to the (almost) top of the tower (closed for Airbnb renters) was a bit nerve-racking for both of us but I had to be strong for my boy and distracted him with different observations down below and held one of his hands of course. We even found some wild mountain blueberries!

We ended the hike with a trip to Moe’s with a Monster cookie for Johnny (his reward) and Chai tea and hot tomato basil soup for mom. Yum! Love that place. If you haven’t been to Moe’s in Darrington, I highly recommend taking the kids and sitting outside to enjoy scenic North Cascade’s views. 

I’m so glad we got some outdoor time today before the rain hit. It was a bit cold on the way down from the trail, but I distracted Johnny with YouTube music (a perk of a close-in hike – Internet access!!) 

On the Playlist:
Somewhere Over the Rainbow- Judy Garland
Pocahontas-  Colors of the Wind
On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
3 Little Birds – Bob Marley
Hotel CA – Eagles
Don’t Worry Be Happy – Bobby Marin
I Can See Clearly Now – Jimmy Cliff

My second favorite lesson for my kids besides the joy of outdoor adventures is exposing them to different types of music while singing together! It was a good day hiking North Mountain Lookout. I am so thankful for this time to spend with my youngest son, and hope that other families enjoy the trail and lookout tower as much as we did! 

Information about the lookout: the North Mountain Lookout was constructed in 1964 by the US Forest Service. Less than 100 of the 656 lookouts in WA state are left standing.

Directions: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/north-mountain-lookout