Butterflies and daisys greeted us as we started out on the Iron Goat Trail on a warm summer day.  The aroma of the forest awakened our senses and lifted our spirits. It was good to be back exploring one of our favorite trails. The trail follows an abandoned railroad past snowsheds and tunnels in the area where 100 people died after being trapped by an avalanche in 1910.The gravel path is a bit bumpy at times but is wheelchair accessible.

    We originally discovered the trail  when we decided to explore the old highway that departs from the summit at Stevens Pass. We followed the road to its end and discovered an accessible trail at the Wellington trailhead.  We decided to follow it and passed through parts of the snowshed and were in immediate awe of the dramatic scenery. The upper trail provides a glimpse of the high country as it heads down a slope filled with granite and wildflowers. Rushing  waterfalls cascade over parts of the showshed in early summer. Interpretative signs describe the fascinating history of the area and railroad artifacts can be seen in places.  It is approximately 3 miles to .the Windy Point Tunnel.  Allow 2-3 hours to explore the area and save some energy for the return trip as it goes back up the grade.  A side trail goes from the parking lot about 1/4 mile to the opening of the original Cascade Tunnel. We finally got back just before dark and were caught off guard when we read about a bear sighting there a few days earlier. The Wellington trailhead usually opens up in late June. It has an accessible outhouse. To reach the trailhead  you must head west on Highway 2 from the Stevens Pass summit about a mile to the junction with the Old Cascade  Highway. Drive 2.8 miles  to USFS road 050. The trailhead on the right. A NW Forest Pass is required.

    The Martin Creek trailhead starts at a lower elevation and opens up in early spring. It heads up through a deep forest 1.5 miles to the west entrance of the Windy Point tunnel.There are more interpretative signs and you can often see interesting animal tracks along the way. Several  wood trestles pass over rushing creeks. An accessible outhouse is available at the trailhead. A NW Forest Pass is required. The Martin Creek trailhead is reached by driving to MP 55 on Highway 2. Turn on to the Old Cascade Highway and go 2.3 miles to USFS road 6710. Go 1.4 miles to the trailhead.  

     A new trailhead has been opened at Mp 58. on Highway 2. There is an accessible outhouse. A NW Forest Pass in not required here. A caboose and interesting photos greet you in the parking lot. Our goal was the twin tunnel area which was about 1.4 miles ahead. We went up a slight incline on a paved trail and the entered the forest on a smooth packed gravel trail. We came upon a huge cement wall that was used to support timbers for the snowshed. It was quite an interesting  engineering feat  when you consider how rugged the area was. We continued up the trail past more cascading waterfalls.  We reached the twin tunnels and marveled at the effort that went into blasting  through the granite to make them. A cool breeze blowing from the tunnels provided relief from the warm day. We crossed a large wooden trestle that provide wonderful views of the valley below. We had a snack and headed back down the trail relaxed and refreshed from our encounter with an important piece of history.