Columbia Falls Natural Area Preserve

Archer Mountain Viewpoint & Cedar Swamp Road

16 mi · ▲ 2,735 ft · 6 hr 42 min

Archer Mountain Viewpoint & Cedar Swamp Road is a 16-mile out-and-back in Columbia Falls Natural Area Preserve near Saint Cloud, WA. The route reaches Archer Mountain Viewpoint at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 2,735 ft, with sections as steep as 30% grade. It scores 86/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi1,240 – 2,576 ft · steepest grade: 30%16.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 45.67561, -122.09385
Nearest town Saint Cloud, WA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Archer Mountain Viewpoint & Cedar Swamp Road

16 mi · ▲ 2,735 ft · 6 hr 42 min

Elevation 1,242–2,576 ft

Out & Back · Columbia Falls Natural Area Preserve

Trailhead: 45.67561, -122.09385

Weather Sep 4: Light drizzle, high 57°F / low 45° · precip 57% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:43 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 200 ftBear right, heading E.
  3. 1.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  4. 0.8 miSharp right, heading W.
  5. 0.4 miBear left, heading W.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto Cedar Swamp Road, heading W.
  7. 450 ftBear left, heading W.
  8. 350 ftBear left, heading W.
  9. 1.6 miTurn left, heading S.
  10. 0.7 miSharp left, heading SW.
  11. 0.8 miSharp right, heading E.
  12. 0.5 miBear right, heading SE.
  13. 150 ftBear left, heading S.
  14. 1.2 miTurn right onto Archer Mountain Trail, heading S.
  15. 0.4 miReach Archer Mountain Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  16. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  17. 1.2 miBear right, heading N.
  18. 100 ftBear left, heading NE.
  19. 0.5 miSharp left, heading NW.
  20. 0.8 miSharp right, heading S.
  21. 0.7 miTurn right, heading N.
  22. 1.6 miBear right onto Cedar Swamp Road, heading NE.
  23. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  24. 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
  25. 0.4 miSharp left, heading E.
  26. 0.8 miTurn left, heading NW.
  27. 1.2 miBear left, heading W.
  28. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

27% dirt4% gravel69% unspecified

Weather

Light drizzleTemperature 57°F45°
Precip57%Wind3 mphUV6Humidity76%
Rained 0.7″ yesterday · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperatureRain chance
60°45° 12 AM: 6% rain1 AM: 6% rain2 AM: 10% rain3 AM: 4% rain4 AM: 10% rain5 AM: 16% rain6 AM: 28% rain7 AM: 30% rain8 AM: 29% rain9 AM: 30% rain10 AM: 31% rain11 AM: 17% rain12 PM: 15% rain1 PM: 17% rain2 PM: 22% rain3 PM: 34% rain4 PM: 57% rain5 PM: 55% rain6 PM: 31% rain7 PM: 18% rain8 PM: 11% rain9 PM: 6% rain10 PM: 13% rain11 PM: 7% rain
Sunrise 6:34 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:43 PM
Sat 58°45° 30%
Sun 67°47° 31%
Mon 65°43° 30%
Tue 73°46°
Wed 84°50°
Thu 73°53°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.9 mi in (~104 min). Leave by 5:38 PM for the 7:43 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:56 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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