Davis Peak

By Todd Schneider

As the snow begins to fall in the mountains and the days are increasingly shorter, I begin to seek out hikes that provide gorgeous vistas in relatively little time. One recent dayhike I did that accomplishes this is Davis Peak, in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

The Davis Peak Trail leads to the remains of an old fire lookout. Built in the 1930s, the lookout was active until 1965 when it was boarded up for good. In 1968, the lookout was removed, except for some bits of glass and random pieces of wire and piping. A circle of built up rocks, perhaps the base of the lookout, still exists and one can step inside, sit down and enjoy the rock circle as a wind break on breezy days.

The trail to the lookout gains elevation constantly, but the trail is well graded to keep you from becoming quickly taxed. Gaining 3,900 feet in 5.4 miles won’t be a cake walk, but the views are definitely worth it!

From the Davis Peak lookout area, you can see Mount Stuart, Hawkins Mountain, Lemah Mountain and countless other peaks. When you get to the top, you’ll understand why this peak was once home to a lookout – the views of neighboring peaks and ridges are phenomenal!

If you are a strong scrambler and climber, you can follow the ridge westerly to the true summit of Davis Peak (6,490 ft) and gain views of Mounts Daniel and Hinman. The climber’s path to the true summit is a bit airy and can be intimidating, so use your good judgment when deciding if you want to tackle the true summit.

Finally, keep a look out for animals. This trail travels through a burned area from a 2006 fire (no obstacles to deal with, almost all of the downed trees have been cut out) that provides unobstructed views and snags for habitat. Along the Davis Peak ridge we found a set of goat tracks that we followed to the true summit.

Notes: Water is scarce after crossing a large bridge over the Cle Elum River, so make sure you have plenty of it with you if hiking this trail in the heat of summer. A Northwest Forest Pass (http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/passespermits/) is required at the trailhead parking lot. For road and trail conditions, contact the Cle Elum Ranger District at 509-674-4411.

Directions: From Seattle take Interstate 90 east and turn off at Exit 80 (Roslyn). Turn left and continue about 3 miles on the Roslyn cutoff road to state Route 903. Turn left and continue about a mile to Roslyn. Continue through town and follow the road as it turns left and proceeds to the town of Ronald. The road becomes Salmon La Sac Road. At the Salmon La Sac Guard Station (about 15 miles from Roslyn), turn right onto Road No. 4330 and continue about 1.7 miles to the large parking area for Davis Peak on the left.