Navarre Loop

For pictures and info on the section up North Navarre Peak, see..

For pictures from top of Switchback Mountain, see...

For pictures of a side trip to Ferry Peak and Uno Peak, see.

For pictures of a side trip to Vie Mountain Lookout site, see..

I did this loop in the middle of summer on a weekend and saw nobody. This is due to several factors including difficult trailhead access, hit and miss water sources, unknown camping sites, burned forests, motorcycle use trails, faint degraded trails and fear of the heat. Most of these are easily overcome if you have some backpacking experience, but I definitely would not recommend a newbie to hike here. This is a 21-mile loop trip that has numerous side trip possibilities. I found myself ditching my overnight gear several times and exploring side trails and peaks. There is a 2.5 mile road walk to connect the loop but one hours worth of time in order to have a loop trip is a minor inconvenience.

The shorter loop is available making a good long day hike with lots of elevation and lots of views. Half would be in a burned area with the other half in meadows and forest. The two trails in this loop are the Chelan Summit Trail and the Summer Blossom Trail.

The larger loop incorporates Switchback Mountain trail that reaches over 8,000 feet, one of the highest maintained trails in the State. It almost summits Switchback Mountain, the 97th highest mountain in Washington. Other highlights are in Merchants Basin on the Foggy Dew Trail and the Sunrise Lake Trail to Sunrise Lake. The trail from the lake up to the pass above it is more of a rough boot path but definitely something most hikers can handle once you actually find the trail/bootpath. The larger loop is really a figure 8 so I was able to do the loop with my camp in the middle affording the second loop to be done with no overnight pack.

Hiking Distance: 15-mile loop or larger 21 mile loop
Elevation Gain: 4,000 feet or 6,500 feet
County: Chelan
Access: Gravel Roads

From Chelan, drive 6.5 miles on the Chelan-Manson state highway 150 towards Manson. Turn Right onto Wapato Lake Road and drive 2.3 miles to Upper Joe Creek Road for 4.2 miles where the road becomes the Grade Creek Road. Continue roughly 26 miles on Grade Creek Road #8200 to the campground and trailhead. If you can not find the trailhead at the campground, stay put, you are not ready for this loop.

East Fork Prince Creek Valley

Burn area on summit trail near South Navarre Peak

Summit Trail near start heading into Miners Basin.

Above Horsethief Basin

Hiking into Miners Basin

Camped at the saddle north of Horsethief Basin.

Head of East Fork Prince Creek

Meadows in East Fork Prince Creek Basin

Looking down at East Fork Prince Creek Basin with Hoodoo Pass in far distance.

Tent up in the saddle there between Horsethief Basin and East Fork Prince Creek Basin.

Cooney Lake and Martin Peak from Merchants Saddle.

Views from Merchants Saddle