Iron Goat Trail

Be aware that the construction on the seven mile “Grand Loop” has not been completed and the current connection below Windy Tunnel requires a short but difficult hillside scramble with route finding. Scheduled for completion for the 2007 season this promises to be one of the most visually dramatic railtrails in Washington. Great walls line the trail where massive two track snowsheds once stood. Informative signs provide history and explanations for these surreal structures. Numerous tunnel entrances are also accessible but only to the signed barriers. Cautions about tunnel dangers are not overstated and many present a dark, damp, and dangerous vision of jagged rock and timber that now obstruct passages. Keep this trail in mind whenever traveling on Hwy 2 (across from the historic town of Scenic) or even as its own destination. Later season hikes include the upper elevations but only after the threat of snow and rock slides have ended. Check current conditions and explore more history and information at http://www.irongoat.org/