Mount Adams: Round the Mountain, PCT and Highline Traverse

Mount Adams Wilderness, Gifford Pinchot National Forest (Cold Springs to Muddy Meadows trailheads, north of Trout Lake)

Mount Adams rises north of Trout Lake in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The Round the Mountain Trail circles its south and west flanks, and the Pacific Crest Trail and Highline Trail continue around the northwest and north sides. The eastern half of the mountain is Yakama Nation land, which the Forest Service says is “largely closed to recreation.”

This traverse follows CleverHiker’s three-day option, which stays on Forest Service trails from the Cold Springs Trailhead on the south side to the Muddy Meadows Trailhead on the north.

The hike

CleverHiker says the Round the Mountain Trail stays between about 5,900 and 6,300 feet. Oregon Hikers’ field guide starts at the South Climb Trailhead and reaches the Round the Mountain Trail in about 1.3 miles; CleverHiker’s route starts at the Cold Springs Trailhead. Heading west, Washington Trails Association counts about 2.8 miles to the Shorthorn Trail junction and 2.2 more to the Lookingglass Lake junction. CleverHiker puts Lookingglass Lake 7.2 miles from Cold Springs, including a one-mile detour south of the trail.

Much of this side burned in the 2012 Cascade Creek Fire. Oregon Hikers says the Forest Service cut fire-killed trees near the South Climb station, and that at Horseshoe Meadow “most of the subalpine firs and mountain hemlocks” were scorched. About 1.1 miles past the Lookingglass junction, the Round the Mountain Trail meets the PCT at Horseshoe Meadow.

The route then follows the PCT north past Burnt Rock, Sheep Lake, and Riley Creek to Adams Creek, which Oregon Hikers says can be challenging, with higher flows in the afternoon and sometimes two channels. It continues to Killen Creek, where WTA’s High Camp page describes a scramble route up a spur ridge to an exposed camp at about 6,928 feet. WTA suggests camping along the PCT toward Killen Creek Meadows or Adams Creek to avoid weekend crowds there. CleverHiker’s second night is at Divide Camp or High Camp.

Past Killen Creek, CleverHiker’s route takes the Highline Trail 114 to finish at Muddy Meadows. Oregon Hikers’ loop follows the Highline to Foggy Flat, which it says has a running stream, and the Muddy Forks, where the West Fork crossing is easier early in the day and the East Fork may require heading upstream. The full loop around the mountain continues off-trail across Yakama land and the Klickitat Glacier; Oregon Hikers rates it “not recommended for beginning hikers without an experienced leader.”

For a gentler South Cascades trip with lakes instead of glaciers, see Indian Heaven.

Tips

Set up a shuttle. CleverHiker says the trailheads are about 38 road miles apart, roughly two hours.
Cross streams in the morning. Glacial melt rises through the day.
Fill out the wilderness permit. It’s free and self-issued at trailheads.
Stay off Yakama land without a permit. CleverHiker says a Northwest Forest Pass doesn’t cover it.
Expect wind and cold. CleverHiker warns of exposed ridges and possible freezing temperatures in summer.

Camping

Camping is dispersed in the Mount Adams Wilderness. The Forest Service order bans camping within 100 feet of any lakeshore and of the PCT, and bans campfires above the Round the Mountain Trail, above the PCT north to the Highline Trail junction, and above the Highline Trail. Groups are limited to 12. Oregon Hikers lists camps at Lookingglass Lake, Horseshoe Meadow, Sheep Lake, the Killen Creek tree islands, and Foggy Flat. A Mt. Adams Climbing Pass is required above 7,000 feet from May 1 to Sept. 30. Treat all water.

Inside Intel: WTA’s High Camp guide steers campers away from High Camp on busy summer weekends toward sites along the PCT near Killen Creek Meadows or Adams Creek, and calls High Camp itself “very exposed to the weather.” No camper accounts recommending a specific site on the Round the Mountain section were found.

Trail facts

Distance: About 21 miles one way (CleverHiker: 20.8 to 21.9)
Route type: Point-to-point
Difficulty: Strenuous
Campsites: Lookingglass Lake (7.2 miles, with detour), Horseshoe Meadow, Sheep Lake, Killen Creek area (Foggy Flat on the Highline, per Oregon Hikers)
Water: Springs and glacial streams; treat it
Permits: Free self-issued wilderness permit; climbing pass above 7,000 feet
Fires: Banned above the Round the Mountain Trail, PCT and Highline Trail
Dogs: Allowed on leash on Forest Service trails (WTA)
Trailheads: Cold Springs (south) and Muddy Meadows (north)
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

No campfires above the Round the Mountain Trail:

The Forest Service bans fires on Mount Adams' upper slopes, so every hot meal from Cold Springs to Muddy Meadows comes from a stove. Compare the stoves reviewers like.

See what testers chose →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.