Day Trip: Big Four Ice Caves

Last fall, some friends and I decided we wanted to get out of the city and spend a day walking around some of Washington’s plentiful forests, and the Big Four Ice Caves seemed like just the right thing! The Big Four ice caves are in an area between the Mt Pilchuck State Forest and the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. A pretty little two-hour drive from Seattle, you can access the caves starting in early summer, after nearby waterfalls and warm winds have worn tunnels through the previous year’s avalanche pileup.

It was a spectacular September day, and after a very pleasant scenic drive we arrived at the trailhead for the Big Four ice caves. The hike itself is very easy: about two miles round trip, with minimal incline and beautiful views. This walk would be great for people of all ages; we saw families with small children, and older people walking with canes, and everyone seemed to be moving in stride.

Not too far along the trail, we crossed a bridge over a crystal-clear stream of mountain runoff. It was a warm day, and the river looked pretty refreshing, but even at the end of the summer the water was a little too cold for an impromptu swim.

We could see the snow pile about 15 minutes before we got to the caves, and when we finally got there, we were excited to explore!

We stayed in the ice cave area for a couple hours, poking around in the caves, taking pictures, and climbing rocks. There were three caves down at the lowest level, and the inside was spectacular! The snow had hardened into pockmarked ice that looked like something out of science fiction. The ceiling was melting, and chunks of ice were falling from the top edges of the cave, so we didn’t venture too far in—just far enough to snap a few pictures!

My friend Kristen exploring one of the smaller caves

I cannot highly enough recommend taking this little jaunt if you happen to be in the area.

Warning: It’s very important to note, should you go on this hike, you should not go very far into the caves themselves. These caves are melting, and the chance of a cave-in is very high. We heard some big cave-in rumbles in the back of the caves when we were there, and it was pretty scary!