Yellow Aster Butte Hike — Mount Baker, Washington

Yellow Aster Butte is one of the best fall-color hikes in the Mount Baker area. The trail is 7.5 miles round trip with about 2,550 feet of elevation gain, climbing through huckleberry meadows to a 6,150-foot high point on the butte, above a basin of small alpine tarns. Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan are in view for much of the way.

It was a sunny Saturday in early October, and the secret was clearly out. By the time I arrived around noon, cars were parked along Twin Lakes Road far below the trailhead.

A long line of cars parked along a gravel road below a hillside of orange and red brush — Cars lined Twin Lakes Road well below the trailhead.

The trail climbs steadily through the forest, then traverses open slopes covered in huckleberry. At this time of year, the whole hillside turns bright red, with Mount Baker rising over the ridges to the south.

Snow-covered Mount Baker above forested ridges, with bright red huckleberry leaves in front — Mount Baker above the red huckleberry.

A rocky trail winding between red huckleberry bushes and evergreens — The trail through the huckleberry meadows.

The glaciated summit pyramid of Mount Shuksan beyond a forested valley — Mount Shuksan across the valley.

A rocky, grassy basin below a steep forested slope under a bright sun — A rocky basin below the butte.

A ridge of red brush and evergreens leading toward Mount Baker in the distance — The ridge ahead, with Mount Baker in the distance.

Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker above a hillside of red huckleberry on the Yellow Aster Butte trail — Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker over a hillside of red huckleberry.

Mount Shuksan beyond a meadow trail lined with red huckleberry — Mount Shuksan from the meadows.

Higher up, a steep, rocky path climbs the ridge to the top of the butte. The views open up a little more with every step.

A jagged skyline of dark peaks beyond a rocky alpine slope — Jagged ridgelines from the meadows below the butte.

Pale rock outcrops along a steep ridge climbing toward the top of the butte — The rocky ridge leading to the top of the butte.

From the top, the views go in every direction. Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan fill the skyline to the south, rust-colored peaks rise near the Canadian border, and the tarns sit in a rocky basin right below.

Mount Baker on the horizon above forested ridges and small tarns far below — Mount Baker from the top, with small tarns in the basin below.

A cluster of rust-red and gray peaks beyond a pale rocky ridge — Rust-colored peaks near the Canadian border.

Bruce standing on top of Yellow Aster Butte, with Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker behind — On top of Yellow Aster Butte, with Mount Shuksan on the left and Mount Baker on the right.

Rust-red peaks above pale slabs and green ridges — Another look at the rust-colored peaks.

Several small blue-green tarns scattered across a rocky basin below the butte — The Yellow Aster Butte tarns from above.

On the way down, I stopped a few more times for Mount Baker and the meadows, which were still bright red and gold in the afternoon sun.

A trail through red and yellow meadows heading toward Mount Baker — Heading back down toward Mount Baker.

A close view of the glaciers on Mount Baker above dark forested ridges — A closer look at Mount Baker.

A dirt trail through red and yellow meadows past a small tarn, with Mount Shuksan behind — A small tarn along the trail, with Mount Shuksan behind it.