Big Muffin is a prominent peak in Washington’s South Cascades, located near Meadow Mountain and Dandy Peak. It shares an eastern saddle, where the famous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) winds through the landscape, with the neighboring Little Muffin. Nearby, nestled in the northwest foothills, Stirrup Lake offers serene surroundings and hosts a healthy population of Eastern Brook Trout. 1
See more trip photos here.
Big Muffin and Little Muffin at a Glance
Access: Road 5484-114
Round Trip: 6.2 miles
Elevation Range: 3220′-4623′
Essential Gear: none
Route Info: Scott Rice
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Playlist: Guitars, Instrumental, Reels
The Familiar Road and Annoying Pests
The pothole-filled roadway was the one we took to Meadow Mountain, which, as I recalled, would turn progressively worse. After navigating a narrow road lined with slide alder, we began our trip from the deep rut located by the Road 114 fork. Connor always seemed excited despite a bumpy start to the outing.
Immediately, the terrible mosquitoes appeared even in the shade, despite it being much cooler. It was equally bad with the swarming insects as we strolled through the arid road. So far, the constant buzzing was a major nuisance during this part of the hike. We soon went past a small stream, the only water source along the route.
A Pause on the Forested Little Muffin
There was some beargrass as we briefly walked the well-maintained PCT. Surprisingly, mosquitoes disappeared suddenly once we left the path. We stumbled on a somewhat brushy jeep road but soon left it on the crest and headed uphill. At around 4100 feet, we stumbled on the jeep road again, now covered in brush and young trees.
Just below the top, the hillside offered glimpses to the north through the small openings. It was tough to pinpoint the true high point on this forested mountain as we circled the flat summit a few times. After a quick stop, we hugged the county line and descended west to the lower roadway toward the sharp road bend.
The Road Approach to Big Muffin
Just past the four-way junction on the saddle was a short stretch of recent rock slide. But vehicles could continue without a hitch. The nearly two miles of road walking offered glimpses of nearby ridges, including Little Muffin. Even distant peaks in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, including Mount Stuart, were visible under a blue sky.
Meanwhile, relentless mosquitoes appeared throughout the open road as the day grew warm. But I supposed the beautiful views were a fair trade for the persistent pests. From near the road’s end, the summit was only 300 feet beyond. After battling through the incredibly dense forest, we emerged from the other side to an opening facing Mount Rainier.
The Summit and an Alternate Exit
Other visible high points from Big Muffin included Meadow Mountain to the north, plus Kelly Butte and Rumble Mountain to the south. However, Mount Rainier remained the focal point as this forested summit concealed most of its scenery. Connor continued to fend off an army of mosquitoes as I took in the quiet scenery, wearing a head net.
Instead of returning through the dense woods, we followed what looked like a path near the clearing. It went through blueberry bushes east of the summit onto another unmapped road covered in young trees. After spotting bikers down by the wetland, we opted to descend the east slope while contending with massive huckleberry bushes.
After crossing two roadways, we went into a nearby gully to retrieve water for the dog. We then briefly followed the stream bed lined with stink currant and Devil’s Club before stepping out onto Road 610. Within minutes, we returned to the junction and continued back to our starting road in a light breeze.
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: Places to go fishing. ↩︎