19 Jul Thunder Creek Trail in North Cascades: To Suspension Bridge

Since we only had one day in North Cascades National Park, we really had to pick and choose our activities. However, some of the trails in the more eastern areas of the park still had some snow on them when we visited in early July. Our decision thus became slightly easier. We first stopped at Diablo Lake Visa Point and then headed over to Thunder Knob trailhead. To our surprise, it was currently closed due to a bear on the trail. Therefore, we headed across the street to the Thunder Creek Trail in North Cascades.

We knew there was a suspension bridge about two miles (~3.2 kilometers) into the hike, and thus we set off in search of it! The entire Thunder Creek Trail is 39.2 miles (~63 kilometers), but we shortened it a bit and only hiked to the suspension bridge. Keep reading below to learn more about the hike in general and what we saw at the bridge. 

Contents:

1) Location of Thunder Creek Trail

2) Park Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

3) The Best Time to Visit

4) Quick Facts

5) Thunder Creek Trail Information

6) Arriving at the Suspension Bridge

7) Recommended Items to Bring

1) Location of Thunder Creek Trail

Thunder Creek trail is located in the beautiful and wonderful North Cascades National Park. This park is actually one of the least visited in the entire United States, so be sure to plan a visit so you can see what everyone else is missing out on. If you still need another reason to visit, check out my article highlighting the three main reasons to visit North Cascades National Park.

For reference, North Cascades is approximately two and a half hours north of Seattle. If you have not yet explored Seattle, I recommend you plan a day trip to all of the city’s main attractions. Hint – it includes the best view of the Seattle skyline at night. 

The trailhead is on the western edge of the park, which is perfect if you are coming from Seattle since it is one of the first main attractions you will pass. For reference, it is only a short, five-minute drive from the popular Diablo Lake Vista Point.

We visited in early July, and a lot of the trails in the more northern and eastern sections of the park still had snow on them. Therefore, we first drove to Diablo Lake Vista Point and then worked our way back from there. Thunder Creek Trail was our second stop of the day. No snow to be found on this trail! Well, at least there was no snow up to two miles (~3.2 kilometers) on the trail to the suspension bridge. 

Parking

There are a few parking spots right next to the trailhead. If all of the spots are full, simply drive around the campground area to see if there are any other open spots or across the road to another small parking lot.

Our original plan for our day trip was to hike Thunder Knob Trail, which is across the road. However, it closed just before we arrived due to a bear sighting on the trail. They said it would reopen in a few hours, but we decided to head across the street to hike the Thunder Creek Trail instead.

Nearby Lodging

If you would like to book lodging outside of the national park, then check out options in Concrete and Winthrop. Otherwise, you can book a campground within the national park and truly embrace nature for the weekend. 

Nearby Airports

There are a few, very small regional airports around the park. However, the closest international airport is the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the city. It is located about two and a half hours south of the park. 

There is some public transportation available from the airport to the national park. Otherwise, you can rent a car or utilize a ride share service. Even though it is a lot more expensive, I would prefer to rent a car in this situation so I can truly have the freedom I desire to explore the national park without having to abide by a bus schedule. 

View of the river from the suspension bridge

2) Park Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

The opening hours for North Cascades National Park vary from season to season.  

Opening Hours – Summer

First, let me say that the park is open all day, every day. However, accessing the park can be quite difficult in the winter months. During the summer months, you can simply drive into the park and enjoy the attractions and activities it has to offer. Nevertheless, please note that some trails will still have snow on them into July and possibly August as well.

Check AllTrails before heading out to see if others have reported snow or ice on the trail recently. If so, make sure you are prepared to hike in those conditions. For example, some trails still had snow on them when we visited in early July. We thus opted for a different trail since we were not prepared to hike in the snow. 

Opening Hours – Autumn through Spring

In relation to accessing the park in the autumn, spring, and winter, State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) closes for the season in mid to late November and then reopens in April or early May. Specifically, the road closure occurs at milepost 130 or 134. Additionally, all of the visitor centers close during the winter months. They are open generally from late May or early June through late September or early October. 

Nevertheless, the park is still available and open to visitors during these months. For example, camping (with no amenities) is allowed at Goodell Creek, Gorge Lake, and Colonial South Creek Campground all year round. However, you need to come prepared for snowy and possibly hazardous weather conditions. 

Entrance Fee

For some good news, there is no entrance fee for North Cascades National Park. Amazing, right?! You can thus visit the park and enjoy the stunning scenery at no cost. 

Suspension bridge along the Thunder Creek Trail

3) The Best Time to Visit – Thunder Creek Trail

As stated above, North Cascades National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the U.S. You thus generally do not have to worry about bumping into a lot of other people on the Thunder Creek Trail. You might pass some others while hiking, but it should not be too crowded. 

Best Season to Visit

The best season to hike on the Thunder Creek Trail in North Cascades National Park is in the summer. Due to road closures in the winter, you will have to trek far and through a lot of snow to even reach the trailhead. However, we visited in the summer and were able to simply drive through the national park and park in a lot close to the trailhead. Moreover, there was no snow on the trail when we hiked. Nevertheless, you might run into a bit of snow if you keep hiking far past the suspension bridge and into higher elevations. 

Estimated Visit Time

If you hike on the Thunder Creek Trail only to the suspension bridge, you will need to plan for around two hours. The hike itself will take at least an hour and a half, so you want to also add in some padding time for pictures and exploring. 

However, you will need around 21 hours if you plan to hike the entire 39.2 mile (~63 kilometer) round trip Thunder Creek Trail in North Cascades National Park. An average hiker can complete the trail in approximately 19 hours and 30 minutes, but again you will want to add in some padding time for pictures, exploring, and anything else. Moreover, since the hike is so long you will want to stop and camp for the night before finishing the trail the next day. 

Appreciating the scenery by the river’s edge

4) Quick Facts

1. Thunder Creek Trail is located within North Cascades National Park outside of Seattle, Washington. 

2. North Cascades National Park has no entrance fee. 

3. The entire Thunder Creek Trail is 39.2 miles (~63 kilometers) round trip with around 4,900 feet (~1,494 meters) in elevation gain. 

4. Snow can remain on the higher elevation portions of Thunder Creek Trail through July and possibly even August. 

5. The hike from the start of Thunder Creek Trail to the suspension bridge is four miles (~6.4 kilometers) round trip. 

5) Thunder Creek Trail Information

Please be advised that the Thunder Creek Trail is an incredibly long hike. However, you can easily shorten it by hiking only to the suspension bridge and back. Do not worry – you can still enjoy incredible views even with the shorter hike.

Thunder Creek Trail: Entire Hike

The entire Thunder Creek Trail in North Cascades National Park is a looooonnngg hike. The trail is 39.2 miles (~63 kilometers) round trip with approximately 4,900 feet (~1,494 meters) in elevation gain. An average hiker can complete the trail in 19 hours and 30 minutes. Furthermore, the trail is rated as difficult. The trail ends at the Five Mile Camp, where it then turns into Park Creek Trail. Therefore, you can technically keep hiking past this point, though you would then be hiking along Park Creek Trail. Furthermore, you can stop to camp for the night at various points along the trail since the hike takes so long. Just be sure you have a backcountry permit. 

While hiking along the trail, you will enjoy stunning scenery. For example, you will walk through a forest of cedar and fir trees, over a suspension bridge, along a creek, and more. You will start to be rewarded with mountain views once you reach Fourth of July Pass, and later you will enjoy views of Boston Glacier after passing Junction Camps. 

If you research this trail on AllTrails, you will see that it has a much shorter length. You thus might be a bit confused. However, AllTrails shortened the trail in their general description and then went on to state that the trail continues for around 40 miles (~64 kilometers) in the longer description further down the page. 

Testing his balance on a fallen tree over the river

Thunder Creek Trail: Hike to Suspension Bridge

However, we did not have enough time to fit the entire hike in our day trip. Therefore, we simply hiked to the suspension bridge and back again. This is a great option if you want to enjoy this hike but do not have the time to hike the entire trail. Additionally, the suspension bridge is one of the main highlights of the entire trail based on reviews I read. There are a few other creeks and waterfalls along the way, but the suspension bridge offers a stellar view of the river.

The hike to the suspension bridge along Thunder Creek Trail is four miles (~6.4 kilometers) round trip with minimal elevation gain. The path is fairly flat, though it does go up and down a little along with the elevation of the forest. An average hiker can complete the trail in an hour and a half to two hours. For example, it took us about 40 minutes to hike each way. Additionally, we stopped at the suspension bridge to take in the view, explore, and snap some pictures for 30 minutes or so.

In terms of views, the hike winds through a forest before arriving at the suspension bridge. Even though it is just in a forest, it is still beautiful. It felt more as if I was walking through an enchanted forest. Moreover, you can see the river running alongside the trail for most of the hike.

Hiking along the Thunder Creek Trail

6) Arriving at the Suspension Bridge – Thunder Creek Trail

After walking about two miles (~3.2 kilometers), we arrived at the suspension bridge. The views from the bridge were definitely worth the hike! We looked out over the river, and it was surrounded by a forest on both sides. Additionally, the weather was beautiful the day we visited, and thus we had a mostly clear, blue sky overhead. I could have spent hours on that bridge, watching the water rush by.

Also, as a note, I saw some debate about whether this is actually a “suspension bridge”. Some people mentioned it should instead be called a beam bridge. While I am not sure which is correct, I was happy I visited either way.

My boyfriend wandered onto a fallen tree just past the bridge and then captured this photo. He was slightly above the water though, so it was a test of his balance and the tree’s stability (though the tree was pretty large). If you decide to do something similar, please be sure to remain cautious. Always have a safety plan for if you (or anyone else) do happen to fall in the water. 

The suspension bridge along the Thunder Creek Trail

7) Recommended Items to Bring

For additional recommendations on items to pack while traveling, check out my travel essentials for women as well as travel accessories for men.

1. Water bottle: Please please please be sure to bring water with you as you hike along Thunder Creek Trail, especially if you choose to hike past the suspension bridge. Even though North Cascades National park has cooler temperatures, you still need to drink water to stay hydrated. For example, I brought my Yeti water bottle with me.

Hygiene

2. Sunscreen: While this might not be as important on a cloudy day, it will be on a day full of beautiful clear skies. Walking around even for just 30 minutes can lead to sunburn if you have fair skin.

3. Bug spray: Let’s be honest – mosquitos, gnats, and any other little type of fly can ruin an experience. You cannot truly enjoy an attraction if you are swatting away bugs from your face the whole time. Therefore, be prepared with bug spray or a mosquito repellent bracelet.

Hiking Apparel

4. Hiking shoes: A pair of hiking shoes will be incredibly helpful as you hike along the trail, for it is mainly a dirt path with some loose rocks

5. Hiking poles: Hiking poles are not a necessity if you only plan to hike to the suspension bridge since the trail is fairly flat. However, bring them along if you plan to hike further along Thunder Creek Trail and want a bit of extra support.

6. Optional – crampons: These are only necessary in the winter months if there is snow or ice on the trail. Crampons are spikes that attach to the bottom of shoes.

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