Hiking Mount Dickerman along Mountain Loop Highway
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Mount Dickerman Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 12.70Km (7.89 Miles)
Elevation Gain: 1,180m (3,871 Ft.)
Highest Elevation: 1,746m (5,728 Ft.)
Average Gradient: 18.58%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 7 – 8 Hours
– Moderate: 5.5 – 7 Hours
– Fast: 4.5 – 5.5 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: ~June to November
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Mount Dickerman Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 48°03’14.3″N 121°29’25.2″W
Mount Dickerman Overview
Mount Dickerman is a summit located in the heart of the Mountain Loop Highway in Washington, and is perhaps one of the more popular hikes in the area thanks to its approachable climb on a well groomed, moderately steep trail to a wonderfully scenic summit set amongst a number of high quality peaks.
On a clear day hikers will be rewarded with fantastic 360 degree views of Glacier Peak, Sloan Peak, Del Campo Peak, Vesper Peak, Sperry Peak, Big Four Mountain, Mount Baker, Mount Pugh, Mount Forgotten, White Chuck Mountain, Three Fingers and even Mount Rainier. Not a bad reward for summiting a peak of such simplicity and relatively modest elevation.
The entire hike is a straightforward affair following an established, well manicured trail. The gradient is persistently moderate, rarely is it steep but rarely is it flat either. Despite the sizable elevation gain, most hikers can complete this hike fairly quickly due to the very efficient approach.
Parking for the hike is from the large Perry Creek parking lot along Mountain Loop Highway, which is 2WD accessible and requires a Northwest Forest Pass to park there.
Mount Dickerman is predominantly a summer hike, with the main season running from July to October. The shoulder seasons will also work well when the snowline is high enough so as not to make the approach overly involved. Mountain Loop Highway closes in the winter, typically reopening around Memorial Day and closing again once the snow arrives in the late fall/early winter.
Dogs are welcome on the Mount Dickerman trail.
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Is Mount Dickerman worthwhile?
Mount Dickerman offers very rewarding views for a straightforward hike. While the stats are somewhat sizable, most hikers can be up and down within 6 hours or less, providing a pretty high effort to reward ratio. It’s easy to see why this is a popular place.
How difficult is the hike to Mount Dickerman?
Mount Dickerman is a persistently moderate grind that you can likely make as easy or as hard as you like by choosing how fast you want to go. Fit parties can probably blitz straight up and be on the summit in 2.5 hours or so, but many people will go at a more moderate pace. Trail runners can probably run the entire thing with ease. Descending is just as straightforward as ascending.
There is nothing technical about this hike, with no scrambling and no exposure anywhere along the trail.
Mount Dickerman Route Information
As noted, parking for Mount Dickerman is from the Perry Creek parking lot along Mountain Loop Highway. This is a designated parking area with a washroom and picnic table suitable for all vehicles.
You’ll want to begin the hike by heading to the southeast end of the parking lot where you’ll find a very obvious trail leading into the forest. The trail will begin a modest climb for the first half a kilometer or so, before you reach your first of many switchbacks along this hike. A few hundred meters ahead you’ll begin the switchback gauntlet in earnest. While not exactly scenic or interesting, these switchbacks allow for quick and simple travel, gaining elevation rapidly over a fairly short distance.
There is very little to note about this section of the hike, just follow the obvious trail as it continues to zigzag through the forest. You should be able to maintain a consistent pace without ever really having to stop, since the gradient is moderate but not overly steep.
The first 3km or so of the hike will ascend a little over 600m following these switchbacks, after which you’ll continue to climb as you traverse northwest across the southwest slopes of Dickerman. At around 1,330m you’ll easily cross over a creek. You’ll also have a couple of peek-a-boo views of Big Four Mountain to the south.
On the other side of the creek crossing the terrain mellows out briefly, but shortly ahead you’ll reach the west ridge of Dickerman and continue to climb up. You’ll get a few glimpses of what you may think is the summit here too, however this is just a high point along the ridge, not the summit itself.
At around 1,500m you’ll break out of the dense treeline and finally reach the mostly open meadows slightly beneath the summit. The views to the south will really open up here, with Del Campo Peak, Sperry Peak, Vesper Peak and Big Four Mountain all now on full display and looking pretty mighty.
The trail progresses through the meadows, following a few more switchbacks as you near the summit, with the views improving as you continue to gain elevation. Shortly ahead, after one last push you’ll reach the summit, where the views fully open up in every direction.
There are a couple of summits on Dickerman, with plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the views. On a clear day you will be able to see numerous significant peaks in the area, with Sloan Peak, Glacier Peak, Mount Forgotten, Mount Pugh, White Chuck Mountain, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and Three Fingers all joining in with the previously mentioned peaks.
After resting up at the top you can simply return back down the way you came. Descending is quite quick on this hike, though certainty taxing on the legs due to the persistent gradient.
When should I hike Mount Dickerman?
Access to Mount Dickerman will only be possible once Mountain Loop Highway opens for the year, usually around Memorial Day. The peak season will typically be June to October, but November and May might also work, and may even be preferred if you like snowy views and a quieter trail. Obviously with snow you may need microspikes and possibly snowshoes depending on conditions.
Top Tip
This is a perfect hike for going fast and light thanks to the moderate gradient and manicured trail. Some people may even want to plan to jog back down sections of the trail because it is so well maintained.
