Church Mountain Trail & Lookout Site

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Lookout elevation: 6,100 feet
Elevation Gain: 4,500 feet
Distance: 4.2 miles
Access: Good for most vehicles

One of the more popular hikes along the Mount Baker Highway is Church Mountain. Named for its spire appearance, Church is a south facing trail that melts out earlier than others in the area. Although the trail ends on a high rocky summit, it is not the highest point on Church Mountain but a few hundred feet lower. But, the airy perch at the end of the trail has some excellent history and things to see.

Former Lookouts

Access

Take the Mount Baker Highway to Glacier. Around 8 miles beyond, turn left onto Forest Road 3040, also referred to as East Church Mountain Road. Follow it for about 2.5 miles to the end at the parking area.

Route

The trail starts by following the old road for one final switchback. Then a steady trail climbs through second growth up to the former harvest line. Now the route enters the old growth, climbing relentlessly up to treeline. When it breaks out, you have an enjoyable 1.6 miles in nice meadows and creeks. Near the end, the trail is on cliffs edge, watch your kids here. The final bit is an easy scramble on a trail that has been carved out of the rocky summit block.

Mt. Baker Hwy Trips

Southeast 1935

Southwest 1935

North 1935

Lookout

Outhouse

Storage Shed

Church Mountain 1960

CHURCH MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT

VIEWS ON A GOOD DAY

Thanks for the images DWB27 and Gimpilator from NWH.net

Aerial view of the final scramble to the summit taken by the USFS

Wire

Phone line

Outhouse in 2008

Lookout Site 2015

Lookout on side of the mountain

Lots of phone insulators on the way up the trail

Lower meadows

Trailhead

Church Mountain Trail

Deerhorn Creek in the meadows

Near the top

Access in 1941

A.W.S. Observers

Lookout in 1944

Darvill Collection

In 1916, a permanent camp to accommodate six people was built near the summit by U.S. Forest rangers. The camp was allowed to be used by those who wanted to spend the night on the mountain.
In 1928, a fire lookout D-6 cupola cabin was built on the rocky false summit, which had little room already. Throughout the 1930's, hundreds would visit the lookout each year.
In 1936, there were 125 visitors.
In 1941 and 1942, the site was used by the A.W.S.
In 1966 or 1967 the lookout was destroyed. Sources suggest there was also a trail and telephone line to a patrol point on West Church Mountain at 5,610 feet. The outhouse and storage shed lasted to around the turn of the century but are now piles of rubble. The lookout site shows little evidence of a structure but just below on several sides are cables and metal parts dangling off cliffs.

Lookout History