Big Four Ice Caves

This is a beautiful walk!
At the trailhead there are bathrooms. The trails are well marked and maintained. The views are just beautiful.
The trail starts out fairly flat, with a bit of an incline toward the end. The trail is very shaded until you get to the very end, where you spill out into an open, rocky area with a view of the ice caves.
Take heed of the warning signs and don’t get too close. There have been injuries and fatalities here. The close-​up view is not worth the risk.
Cell service is non-​existent, so do pack your 10 essentials and be prepared!

We are visiting my home state of Washington and I’ve been sooooo looking forward to brining both my kidlets to the Big Four Ice Caves!
Growing up here, this was one of my favourite places to go year round. A fairly easy and short hike on a well-​maintained trail system.
So when I woke up this morning all excited to plan our trip, I was devastated to find out the trails were closed on 7÷5÷2015 — just a few days ago :-(
The KOMO news article noted the forestry service said the Ice Caves are in the most dangerous state they have ever been in and even more tragically, there have been ice collapses serious injuries and a death which resulted in this closure.
My heart breaks for the families and friends so deeply affected by this tragedy and also I am sad that the beauty and wonder of this magic spot is now unsafe for others to enjoy.

The trail is CLOSED indefinitely, after the ice collapsed recently, killing one and injuring others. I am saddened that the trail has been closed, due to the danger of the caves, because they are supposed to be viewed from a safe distance. If visitors read and abiding by the signs posted, there would not have been injuries.

Remote and definitely not easy to find if you use the map feature on Unilocal to get you there. It will kick you out on the west side of Granite Falls when the Ice Caves are actually east of town. I don’t know the area very well to provide directions on Unilocal so you may just need to do the old fashioned thing and go to a gas station and ask in Granite Falls. Once you do it is approximately 30 to 45 minutes to get there.
Once you are there to use the parking spaces which is on Forest Service land you would need to pay 5 dollars to leave your car there while you hike.
Once all that is squared away the actual hike is actually very nice. It’s a out a mile to the caves and you can just where tennis shoes. The trail ends on a ridge and beyond that there are cautioning signs indicating that people have died past this point. All in all if you go before the high heat of summer it’s probably less hazardous when it comes to collapsing ice in or around the cave. Approaching the clumps of ice is very interesting as a cool breeze comes through and cuts the heat like a knife. It’s very refreshing feeling!
Certainly not saying you should go into the caves. Few people do. I certainly didn’t with all that run off coming down in sheets from the mouth of the cave. Most hikers do go past the caution signs to get a closer look. There is a bed of rocks up to the caves and at that point some hiking boots would come in handy. It is a bit tedious to get there but it is worth it. As far as safety goes… avoid going inside and aware around the mouth of the cave for possible ice coming down, don’t go too fast on the rock beds. Just use common sense.

Just gorgeous, I’ve heard so much about this little hike, but hadn’t been.. Was not too hard of a climb, even though it was almost 90°. highly recommended! Just don’t go in the caves, very dangerous this time of year..

Loved the hike! — and it’s an easy hike. If you go on a hot day (like we did), you’ll appreciate the coolness of the ice caves.

Good warm up or cool down hike as it is all paved, one mile each each way. Bit of a grade. Parking is plentiful as I got there at 9am on a weekend. Good for little kids. If choosing to approach the ice caves, do be careful of falling bolders and snow. Snow melts, go figure. This year, it is melting quicker than normal.

Great first hike for beginners like me! Upon arrival there are two trails, one going left and one going right. My girlfriend and I randomly chose the left trail and I’m glad we did! Walked about 40 mins through a forest, over a few bridges, and saw amazing views. It was a fairly easy hike with little incline but definitely felt my quads burning by the time we reached the ice cave. When we got to the ice cave we were one of the only people there and it was around 10am on memorial day. There are warning signs about going into the cave that say people have died in there and to be very careful because the cave could melt down any minute. But my girlfriend and I went in (with caution) anyway. We went deep enough to see the waterfall and a huge pile of ice in the middle of the cave. We were in the cave for about 15 minutes until we heard cracking noises and chunk of ice fell from above and we (and 3 others) ran as fast as we could from the cave, tripping and falling over rocks. I seriously thought it was going to cave in. But despite that mishap, it was a great experience!
FYI: apparently discover passes ARENT accepted because Big Four Ice Caves is owned by Mt. Baker and Snoqualmie parks. And there is absolutely no service (but that’s okay because you tend to enjoy nature more without constantly checking your phone)

Once I got to the parking lot after driving from Lacey on a Saturday, there was hardly anyone there and I got there around 11am. I have purchased my Northwest Forest Pass online the night before and was ready to a nice walk to the ice cave. There is a bathroom right before you hit the main trail to the ice cave and a map that gives you perspective of where you are in proximity to other natural wonders.
I headed out on the main trail and soon after were joined by a family with loud kids and several unleashed dogs. «Oh great!,» I muttered as my eyes rolled since my peace within the forest was being disturbed. Then my mind said «Everyone experiences nature in their own way, and you don’t own this forest, trail, or the caves so let it go.» I’m glad I listened to my mind because little things can tend to ruin your time and day if you let them and after driving a little over 2.5 hrs to get there, it wasn’t worth me dwelling on something I don’t have control over.
I almost got lost as there was a fork in the trail that turns right and the other way goes left toward the cave and it isn’t marked. Luckily, I went left. Shortly after and a little bit of sweating since it was warm, I reached the cave. The closer and closer you get the cooler it gets as there is a nice cooling breeze that exits the cave to give you some release from the warmth if you’re moist in your crevices.
The cave itself is really something to marvel at. As you inch closer to the entrance the jagged semi-​circle shaped mouth appears to howl & even beckon you inside to hidden treasures and the possible death that may lurk inside but then the sheer scale of the behemoth makes those that don’t have the philosophy of you only live once second guess themselves and whether they should enter. There are copious amounts of signs leading up to the cave telling you not to enter since several people have died inside during cave collapses. It really is pretty beautiful though.
Don’t miss out on the water falls near by. You can hear them from the caves, so just hike up a little further and step right in or splash a little water on your face. I will definitely be back and certainly with friends.

Easy, short hike, not far from Seattle and its gorgeous! Sadly there is not as much snow nor ice caves as there was last July, but these are still marvels that never disappoint! We were even lucky enough to get to hear and see the crash and roar of a couple small avalanches that fell behind the main ice cave. Absolutely mesmerizing and one of the cooler things I’ve seen in a while (no pun intended). :).
For those who would want more of a challenge for a hike, going here before or after hiking lake 22 (very little snow here right now) or mount pilchuck (has more snow) would be well worth it!
Ps. Stop by barbecue bucket afterwards for some awesome food in Granite Falls.

Seriously is amazing. It was so beautiful! We were lucky as we arrived, snow started to fall and it looked like we were in a winter wonderland.
The hike overall is easy, great for families and kids. Definitely a must see while youre in Seattle.

Easy hike! We went a couple weeks ago in end of March and let me tell you it was so beautiful until it started raining. But the rain didn’t stop us, we drove all the way from Olympia to do this hike and it was worth it! I never seen anything like it before. You do have to buy a discover pass, we bought one for the day and it was like 5 bucks. I did lose cell reception after we bought the discover pass. But the park rangers were extremely nice.

Keep going down mountain loop hwy for a long time. If you think you’ve been on it forever, keep going. You’ll know you’re there once you see the snow capped mountains on your right. There will be a sign that says big four ice caves. Don’t turn into any the camp grounds.
I went early morning at 930 on a Monday. I ran into another couple there, but it was empty. We had the whole cave to ourselves! I went in but it was too dark to go all the way back. I packed a flashlight but forgot it at home. Looking at the ice cave now and comparing it to other people’s pictures. It melted a lot. I went recently towards the end of March. Beginning of April. Take a short hike to the right to find a couple of waterfalls. There were groups of people there and hiking there while I was walking back to the parking lot.

A hidden gem of the PNW. Located deep in the woods of the Mt. Baker National Forest, the ice caves can be at first tricky to find. With no cellphone reception, plan ahead on getting directions; I took a screenshot of the directions ahead of time from my GPS. Tucked away in Granite Falls, you might be thinking is the drive really worth it? Well, you bet it is. I grew up my whole life in the PNW, and it is surely something you have to see either if you’re a native or visiting.
Driving to the caves, you will notice you’re getting closer as you pass all the campgrounds of the Mt. Baker National Forest; You will see that the base of the mountain is getting closer. The view from today, April 2^nd, was just magnificent. The trees and the mountain was sparkled in white snow and the air was so crisp. There is a parking lot where you will need to pay $ 5 for the fee. I saw that some people didn’t, but please do. The money helps beautiful places like the caves stay maintained so that we can visit them.
Once parked, all you have to do is follow the signs to the trailhead. It’s a pretty easy trail with a mix of wood, gravel, bridges and mud as you walk your way to the caves. You will cross a small river and see beautiful trees all around. Once you’re out of the forest, you will have to make your way through some rocks to get to the caves.
The view is amazing. Not only are you staring up at snowcapped mountains, but there is a large ice cave ahead of you with rocks surrounding the floors and waterfalls gushing out of the rocks all around. Also just a friendly warning, the area has an avalanche warning, so please stay relatively quiet. As we neared the caves, we could see that it was dripping since it had rained earlier. We ventured inside and said our «oohs» and «ahhs». It really is a sight you have to see for your own eyes.
After we checked out the main large cave, we headed towards the large waterfall to the right. We actually found another smaller ice cave there. The waterfall was beautiful and the water was ever so clear. Again, if you just take a moment to look around, like actually do a 360 slow turn, the sight is just incredible. We went around 10am today and there was still fog at the top of the mountain giving it an eerie beautiful feel with the sound of the waterfalls, views of the perfect evergreens and caves surrounding us.
Overall, if you have some time and are in the area, GO! :)

FYI, as you drive closer & closer, you lose reception so make sure you screenshot the directions.
So easy I can do it with my eyes closed!
I’m kidding but it is paved practically the whole way & there is NO INCLINE whatsoever. Also! It is a short hike, 2.2 miles RT. So if you’re looking for something that is easy & quick, this is your hike.
They have a parking lot for the hikers, you have to pay but when we got there, there were no slips to fill out to pay so we just went on our merry way. It’s 5 dollars, btw.
The outhouses by the parking lot we parked at were closed. It was a Monday, President’s Day to be exact so you’d think it’d be open. *shrugs
The beginning of the trail you can bask in all the trees that both tower over you & that have fallen. The path is well-​maintained.
There is a metal bridge that could get icy during the colder months but it was fine when we went. If you look down, you can see how clear the mountain water is. It’s absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
When you get closer to the ice caves you will know. You will see it from afar.
You will then have to get off the trail & hike through some unstable rocks, it’s doable to get to the ice caves.
The ice caves were absolutely gorgeous.
Everyone was taking pics outside of the cave but I wanted some pics inside & I just wanted to see what the inside looked like.
FYI: DO NOT DO THIS, I found out afterwards, that people aren’t supposed to go inside the cave because it can collapse in at any moment.
When we went inside, we took a couple pics near the front but I wanted to go deeper but then I heard the water drops then some crackling… the kind of crackling you would hear when you put ice cubes in water & it starts to melt. So I took a couple more pics then headed out.
You can see where people hike over to the mini waterfalls that were there but it’s too cold to take a dip. lol.
FYI: dress warm, it is cold. I wear shorts when I hike but that’s just me. EVERYONE & their mom were looking at me like I was cray. Little do they know, I am! ;)
They have a picnic area that has several picnic tables & a BBQ pit. It’s near the other parking lot (the outhouses over there were open)
Le sigh, what a long drawn out review.
All in all, a short hike that you’ll enjoy :)

Extremely gorgeous and at times, felt very G.O.T but oh what a
pain to drive to! Plus, there was no reception as we got more inland… so bye bye GPS. Anyway, let me guide you. On your GPS, you input the address (cred to Eileen L. below):
Verlot Public Service Center
33 515 Mtn Loop Hwy, Granite Falls WA, 98 252
When you arrive here, buy your $ 5 parking pass. Then, continue left and merge onto mtn loop hwy for an additional 30 – 40 minutes. You’ll see the sign for the big four caves parking on the right (you know you’re going the right direction/​getting closer when the mountain gets bigger and bigger and you feel like you’re nearing the base of the mountains).
It’s so gorgeous to come here when there’s still snow. The bridge and plants were still frosty come mid-​Feb. The hike itself is super easy and quick. About 2.5 miles and not even 2 hours… We spent a lot of time taking pictures and appreciating the panorama of the big four mountains when we arrived at the «ice cave». At times, it seemed scary when we heard some of the ice fall… it didn’t help with the recent avalanche incident here either but being the daredevils that we were, we went into the innermost part of the cave. So gorgeous and so quiet. Lots of little rocks and pebbles, dripping water, & hard ice but so worth it. Stunning!

I’ve been meaning to come back and write a review for the ice cave because it is a must-​do! The drive out from Seattle to the cave was about an hour and is a relaxing, pretty drive. It’s through a woodsy area, and we even pulled over on the side of the highway to pick and eat wild blackberries. The hike to the cave was easy, more like a pleasant walk. We went in August, so there wasn’t any snow, but the cave itself was frozen solid like in the pictures. Yes, there are warnings all over saying not to go in. We did meet a couple who did, and they saw the waterfall inside, etc. We didn’t go in.
** Update– sadly, someone was recently killed standing under the edge of the cave (July 2015). Please follow the rules and stay back :(

As a beginner hiker, this is a surprisingly easy hike. The details I read was true this time around. The trails has so many pretty things to see on the way and once you reach the ice caves, it was amazing. Nature’s beauty at it’s best! It was also surprisingly not cold in the caves. Eventhough it’s not recommended not to go inside the caves I did it anyways. It’s so pretty and tempting. Towards the end of the caves there was this beautiful waterfall. It’s gets pretty slippery inside from the melting ice and it’s all rocks you’re walking on.
I highly recommend checking this place out!

One of the most memorable hikes I’ve ever had. Likely because we almost ran out of gas traveling here and because it was my first hike with snow!
PARKING: $ 5
– Pay at the ranger station, it’s separate from parking lot where trailhead is!
The ranger station:
Verlot Public Service Center
33 515 Mtn. Loop Highway
Granite Falls, WA 98 252
DIFFICULTY: Easy peasy!
Please have a map or use your phone to take a picture of the map provided at the front of the trailhead. Everything starts to look the same when it’s covered in ice/​snow.
Such an easy, scenic 2.2 mile roundtrip. Very effortless hike on a well maintained path with great man-​made bridges. You won’t miss the trailhead, there’s only really one path from the parking lot area. You stumble upon swamps and river/​streams when making this short trek through the forest. You can always see the mountains as constant throughout the hike. Getting closer and closer towards the mountain means you’re super close to the caves. Really gorgeous!
The ice caves were completely covered in snow when we went in May. I suggest coming out here later in the year, but it was incredibly beautiful regardless.
BE AWARE, toilets are practically holes in the ground in the restrooms!
TIP: Dress appropriately, it’s suuuper cold here! Temperature decreases as you reach closer to the Mt. Baker-​Snoqualmie!

There is a whole new world out there! A destination full of mystery and secrets. A parallel universe broken by a whirlwind of a modern tundra. It was the Lord of the Rings’ icy Minas Tirith that resurrected from the dead. I was exposed to a realm that sets the standards high in the supernatural and the wanderlust towards my deepest fantasies!
a day pass is $ 5 and you pay at the ice cave parking lot. this hike is about 2 miles there and back, and it’s probably the easiest hiking experience that I’ve had. It is the training wheels before you go to places like Tiger Mountain (for intermediate hikers). and the ice caves emulate the frostbitten presence of the souls that’ve died by its unexpected avalanches! so make sure you pack an extra sweater and use EXTREME caution while exploring inside.
since it was summertime, the caves were melting, making it more dangerous to check beneath its depths! but it was wonderful! the cave walls were glossy almost resembling limestone. and what a vibrant aquamarine pigment when light is transparent on where the ice is thinnest. It was the familiar washington rain in there with a dragon’s ground-​shaking grunt casting the sounds of its storm. The cave however doesn’t lead you anywhere bc once youre inside, all you see is the other opening of the cave. Other than that, you become soaked in –30 degrees of ice cold water! id probably donate to the ALS foundation soon since this is the ice bucket challenge in extreme conditions!
i dont know if my experience at the cave was either more frightening than satisfying, actually. it was a whale’s mouth gradually prying itself closed uncovering me to the dark corners of the human psyche. but i found comfort in the regard which allowed me to perceive that an incurring moment of danger, and the tenderness of peace can intertwine into a purgatory-​like sensation. i had the mild and restraining passion of a man who sits by his wife’s death bed, afraid of her drifting, but accepted it bc she lived a life rupturing with meaning. Ive already won the lottery by merely standing at the presence of a wintry bastion manifesting a force beyond the laws of nature. But a bizarre nature that colored my perception in a disposition of remarkable surreal wonder.
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Use this address to guide you to campgrounds and other kinds of trailheads including the big four ice caves:
Verlot public service center
33 515 mtn. loop hwy
Granite falls, wa 98 252