Mountain · 4 routes
Coal Creek Mountain
6,361 ft · Washington
- Summit
- 6,361 ft
- Routes
- 4 ways up
Routes up Coal Creek Mountain
- Packwood Lake TrailExpertabout 4,503 ft of climbing9.8 mi round tripSee the route
- BLUFF LAKEExpertabout 4,756 ft of climbing12.2 mi round tripSee the route
- Bluff Lake TrailExpertFrom Bluff Lake Trailhead · about 4,783 ft of climbing12.7 mi round tripSee the route
- Clear Lost Trail #76Hardabout 4,307 ft of climbing13.0 mi round tripSee the route
| Packwood Lake Trail | BLUFF LAKE | Bluff Lake Trail | Clear Lost Trail #76 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starts at | — | — | Bluff Lake Trailhead | — |
| Climbing | About 4,503 ft | About 4,756 ft | About 4,783 ft | About 4,307 ft |
| Round trip | 9.8 mi | 12.2 mi | 12.7 mi | 13.0 mi |
| Difficulty | Expert | Expert | Expert | Hard |
| Terrain | Hike | Hike | Hike | Hike |
About Coal Creek Mountain
Coal Creek Mountain is a summit of 6,361 feet in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, part of the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District of Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington. The nearest town is Packwood, about 8 miles away. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation run to highs around 62°F in July and 64°F in August, with lows in the mid-40s. That station sits about 900 feet lower, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. The Packwood Lake Trail and Clear Lost Trail #76 both start about 0.1 mile from the summit. Paddlers can head to the Clear Fork Cowlitz River, about 2 miles away. For an overnight base, La Wis Wis Campground is about 6 miles off.
Forecast on Coal Creek Mountain
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
Questions about Coal Creek Mountain
How tall is Coal Creek Mountain?
6,361 ft (1,939 m).
How many routes go to the summit of Coal Creek Mountain?
4: Packwood Lake Trail, BLUFF LAKE, Bluff Lake Trail and Clear Lost Trail #76.
What is the shortest route up Coal Creek Mountain?
Packwood Lake Trail, about 9.8 mi round trip.
Where do the routes up Coal Creek Mountain start?
Bluff Lake Trail starts at Bluff Lake Trailhead.
Mountains nearby
- Chimney Rock6,705 ft · Washington1 route3.2 mi away
- Angry Mountain6,042 ft · Washington2 routes5.8 mi away
- Twin Peaks5,920 ft · Washington2 routes7.6 mi away
- Spiral Butte5,923 ft · Washington1 route8.1 mi away
- Round Mountain5,975 ft · Washington1 route8.5 mi away
- Fryingpan Mountain5,734 ft · Washington1 route9.6 mi away
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Jul–Aug. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 62–64°F and lows of 44–45°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Rainier Paradise Rs, WA weather station, 16 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan34° high24° low
- Feb34° high23° low
- Mar36° high24° low
- Apr40° high26° low
- May48° high33° low
- Jun54° high37° low
- Jul62° high44° low
- Aug64° high45° low
- Sep57° high41° low
- Oct46° high33° low
- Nov37° high26° low
- Dec33° high22° low
Where it is
- Goat Rocks Wilderness · Wilderness
- Cowlitz Valley Ranger District · Ranger district
- Gifford Pinchot National Forest · National forest
- Nearest town
- Packwood, Washington · 7.8 mi
Source: Wilderness.net boundaries; USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places
Conditions
Active alerts for Cowlitz Valley Ranger District as of Oct 9, 2026:
caution · posted Aug 26, 2026
Adams Fork Bridge Closed (FR 5601)
caution · posted Aug 24, 2026
High Rock Trail, #266, Lookout Area, and Trailhead Closure
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Iron Creek Recreation Area, Road, and Trail Closure
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Ape Cave Resource Protection Restrictions
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
critical · posted Aug 24, 2026
Backbone Fire Area, Road, and Trail Closure
critical · posted Aug 24, 2026
Source: USFS forest alerts
Nearby
- Packwood Lake TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Clear Lost Trail #76Hiking0.1 mi
- Clear Fork Cowlitz RiverCanoeing1.8 mi
- UPPER LAKE CREEKHiking2.7 mi
- Lake CreekCanoeing4.7 mi
La Wis Wis CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain5.8 mi- Leech LakeLake fishing6.1 mi
- White Pass Lake (Leech Lake) CampgroundCamping6.3 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Is Coal Creek Mountain open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 12 alerts for Cowlitz Valley Ranger District.
Backbone Fire Area, Road, and Trail Closure
Agency alert covering Cowlitz Valley Ranger District · Order 06-03-05-26-07 · USFS · Cowlitz Valley Ranger District
Bridge Installation on High Bridge Trail
Agency alert covering Gifford Pinchot National Forest · USFS · Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Gifford Pinchot National Forest · USFS · Gifford Pinchot National Forest
High Rock Closure Area
Agency alert covering Cowlitz Valley Ranger District · Order 06-03-05-26-02 · USFS · Cowlitz Valley Ranger District
Seasonal Road Closures
Agency alert covering Gifford Pinchot National Forest · USFS · Gifford Pinchot National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Cowlitz Valley Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Coal Creek Mountain
Best months: July–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
34° / 24°
Feb
34° / 23°
Mar
36° / 24°
Apr
40° / 26°
May
48° / 33°
Jun
54° / 37°
Jul
62° / 44°
Aug
64° / 45°
Sep
57° / 41°
Oct
46° / 33°
Nov
37° / 26°
Dec
33° / 22°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rainier Paradise Rs, WA, 16.4 mi away at 5,427 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
