Icicle Creek Canyon

Icicle Road follows the creek for about 17 kilometres southwest of Leavenworth into the Wenatchee National Forest, providing access to some of the best hiking, rock climbing, and camping in the Cascades. The canyon walls close in steeply on both sides, with dozens of trailheads leading up to alpine lakes, ridgeline views, and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

Rock climbers come for the granite — Mountaineer's Dome and Castle Rock are well-known crags. Hikers can access trails to Colchuck Lake, Snow Lakes, and Eight Mile Lake. In spring and autumn, the creek corridor is excellent for birding. The National Fish Hatchery near the canyon mouth is open for self-guided tours and worth a stop to understand the salmon restoration effort.

things to do nature hiking wildlife
A story
Icicle Creek drains a large watershed in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The canyon's granite walls and clear cold water support runs of chinook, steelhead, and sockeye salmon — you can often see fish from the road in autumn. The National Fish Hatchery at the lower end of Icicle Road supplements wild runs that have declined since the late 19th century.