Saddle Junction Loop

Saddle Junction Loop circles through the most diverse terrain in Mount Spokane State Park, combining open subalpine meadows, stands of ancient old-growth forest, and rocky ridgeline with views across the surrounding mountain landscape. The loop begins climbing through mature forest where centuries-old Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir create a cathedral canopy overhead, the forest floor carpeted with feather mosses and dotted with the delicate blooms of bunchberry and twinflower. The trail reaches the Saddle, a broad forested saddle on the main ridge of Mount Spokane, where the vegetation transitions to more open subalpine character with scattered trees and grassy clearings. Wildflower displays in mid-July include fields of lupine, western anemone, and several species of penstemons painting the open areas in blue and purple hues. The loop provides excellent opportunities to observe the full range of plant communities that characterize this subalpine environment, from the dense spruce-fir forest of the lower slopes to the wind-pruned krummholz at upper elevations. White-tailed deer, snowshoe hares, and red squirrels inhabit the forest throughout the loop. The varied terrain and ecological richness make this trail particularly rewarding for naturalists and photographers. The loop can be hiked in either direction, though the clockwise circuit saves the best ridge views for the second half of the hike.