Yellow Aster Butte: Blueberries for Days!!!

Last weekend, I woke up at 5am and hit the mountains with a group of friends. If there was a hike I’d recommend doing RIGHT NOW, this one would be it. The colors are just beginning to pop and the views are stunning. You know what was really awesome? The blueberries. They were on by the thousands. 

Here’s a little Q&A about Yellow Aster Butte:

How hard was it? 

This hike is 7.5 miles long, with a 2550 foot elevation gain. This means it does have a lot of incline. However, the majority of this hike is open to mountain views, and currently there are so many blueberries along the way- which makes it way more pleasant. 

The hike begins steeply, but after about a mile and a half, it evens out for awhile, before it gets steep again at the top.  Go slow if needed, YOU CAN DO THIS!
Where’s it located?

  From the Washington Trail Association: From the Glacier Public Service Center on Highway 542 (34 miles east of I-5), drive east for about 12 miles, then turn left onto Twin Lakes Road (FR 3065). Keep a sharp eye out for the WSDOT Shuksan maintenance facility; the road is located at the east end this facility. Proceed 4.5 miles on Forest Service Road 3065, then reach the Tomyhoi Lake/Yellow Aster Butte Trailhead and parking area.

My lunch view- not too shabby!

How’s the road?

The road is passable for all vehicles. Yes, it’s bumpy, but as long as you’re paying attention, you should be perfectly fine. However, the parking fills up. Plan to be at the trail head EARLY to find a spot.

Would you bring kids?

Our group saw some of the cutest families up there! A few people were baby wearing and others had their kiddos hiking with them. This isn’t an “easy” hike, so I wouldn’t bring kids unless they were used to hiking, or you were planning on wearing them.

Blueberries! They were everywhere!

What about the trail condition?

This trail is in perfect condition right now. However, when there’s snow, this one isn’t recommended because it’s an avalanche area. See us down there making snow angels? That’s a glacier!

Are there bathrooms?

There IS a bathroom at the trail head. However when we went, it was awful—which I don’t say too often. So, if I was you, I’d use the one at the Glacier Ranger Station and then use a tree.

Look who we ran into along the trail! Rudy from the Cascade Hiker Podcast! Remember when he interviewed me?

What did you like best about it?

I loved how open the climb was. It was so wonderful to have such amazing views along the way. And the blueberries…I love that. It was such an unexpected surprise to see so many wild blueberries. I’ve never seen anything like it! This hike is absolutely stunning.