My favorite hikes tend to be colorful, exposed, and nestled between mountains for as far as the eye can see. Maple Loop Pass in North Cascades National Park is no exception, offering all of these in a seven mile loop which gains 2,000 feet in elevation and carries hikers along a narrow but innocuous ridgeline for much of the journey.

Wildflowers decorate the vast, exposed fields on either side of the ridgeline, and views of Lake Ann and Rainy Lake offer great places to stop and relax. If the weather looks promising, the apex of the loop, Maple Pass, is a fine place for a picnic.

The steady elevation gain and moderate distance make this hike a worthy weekend constitutional, while the open environment offers a gorgeous respite for those seeking peace in nature.