Summary

• Mount Adams is the largest volcano (by bulk) in Washington state, standing at 12,276 feet and 18 miles in diameter.
• The best time to visit is in spring and summer, with amazing hiking and nature experiences to enjoy.
• Climbing routes are largely challenging, requiring expert-level alpine mountaineering skills for summiting.

Mount Adams is the second-highest peak in Washington, but it is the largest volcano — by bulk — in the state. Mount Adams remains a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range, which stretches from British Columbia to California.

Mount Adams is 150 miles south of Seattle and around 100 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon. It is one of the most dramatic and rugged examples of natural beauty in the Pacific Northwest. The volcano is a great destination for camping, climbing, hiking, and other outdoor pursuits. Here's what to know about visiting Mount Adams, one of the top sights in Washington State, in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

UPDATE: 2024/05/06 19:56 EST BY ERYNN RUIZ

What To Know About Visiting Mount Adams: The Largest Volcano In Washington State

Travelers often visit nearby — and more famous — mountains instead of Mount Adams, but this giant volcano has plenty of adventure to offer. This feature has been updated with more information on exploring Mount Adams, insights into what it's like to visit, and more.

Mount Adams Is The Largest Mountain In Washington

Mount Adams stands 12,276 feet tall and has the second highest peak in WA

Mount Adams rises to 12,276 feet above sea level and measures some 18 miles wide in diameter. While it isn't the tallest volcano in the state (that's Mount Rainier), it is the largest volcano by bulk in Washington.

Mount Adams has not erupted in over a thousand years, but it's not considered extinct just yet.

• Height: 12.276 feet or 3,743 meters
• Largest mountain in Washington State (by bulk)
• Second-highest peak after Mount Rainier

Mount Adams is known as Klickitat and Pahto to some Native American tribes.

Mount Adams is named after President John Adams (though Adams was born in Massachusetts, where a museum and historic park now honor him).

Mount Adams is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc (which is among the largest volcanic arcs). Mount Adams is crowned with over ten active glaciers at the top, with 12 officially named ones. Some of the largest are the Adams, Klickitat, Lyman, and White Salmon.

The glaciers have worn the mountain down to around 8,200 feet twice in Mount Adams' lifetime, but the volcano regained its height after later eruptions.

The mountain has forests, streams, and alpine meadows lower down the slopes, but the Forest Service cautions visitors that alpine mountaineering experience is required if you pan to traverse the glaciers, ridges, and permanent snow fields.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Mount Adams?

Mount Adams is best visited in the spring and summer

Although winter makes for great skiing, it's often said the best time to see it is during the spring. Specifically, between May and the beginning of June, Mount Adams offers amazing hiking, time in nature, and road tripping worthwhile.

One thing to remember, however, is that early spring may still have snow on roads and trails, so keep clear of ice while driving and walking.

Summer is also great for hiking and camping, so this is a year-round choice for those in the state. Winter brings skiing, snowboarding, and resort amenities, with daily temperatures falling as low as negative five degrees, so it's not something you want to embark on without proper gear and training.

In the spring and early summer, however, daily temps at Mount Adams are more doable, being closer to 40 degrees Fahrenheit at the peak of the day.

• Best time to visit: Mount Adams has the best conditions in late spring and early summer.

What To Know About Climbing Mount Adams

Mount Adams is challenging and requires expert-level experience

Mount Adams is a tough mountain to hike, with all the routes to the summit requiring proficiency in alpine mountaineering (including route-finding and crampons and ice axes). Most routes require climbers to navigate crevasses, rock headwalls, ice falls, and more challenging terrain and are some of the steepest hikes in the US.

• Climbing Pass: Required above 7,000 feet between May 1st and September 30th
• Routes to Summit: Around 25 main routes

Thousands of people attempt to reach the summit of Mount Adams every year. The mountain peak has a number of false summits and a broad summit plateau. According to AllTrails, no complete hike on Mount Adams is under ten miles long, nor are any rated lower than "Hard."

There are 25 main routes to the summit, the most difficult of which are extremely challenging and dangerous. The weather on the mountain can change rapidly, and visitors need to be prepared for sudden snowstorms occurring above 6,000 feet any month of the year.

A Mt. Adams Climbing Pass is required from May 1st to September 30th for those above 7000 feet (even if they do not plan to reach the summit).

Mount Adams is one of many notable high-elevation peaks to hike in Washington, but all involve a lot of preparation, expertise, and an abundance of caution.

Other Ways To Explore Mount Adams

There are driving routes around Mount Adams plus shorter hikes

Plenty of hiking trails don't require hiking up to the summit of the mighty mountain. For example, the epic Pacific Crest Trail traverses the western flank of Mount Adams. One trail dubbed "Round the Mountain Trail" runs around the mountain and is some 35 miles long (it is made up of three differently named trails, and so is not an official single trail).

• Round the Mountain Trail: 35 miles or 56 kilometers
• Wilderness Permits required
• Managed by U.S. Forest Service & The Yakama Nation

Over half of Mount Adams is protected in the Mount Adams Wilderness of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The Mount Adams Wilderness covers 47,000 acres on the west slope of Mount Adams.

Wilderness permits are required to enter the Mount Adams Wilderness (the permits are free, self-issuing, and available at trailheads and the Forest Service Range Stations).

Activities on Mount Adams include hiking, backpacking, boating, fishing, backcountry camping, horse riding, and mountaineering. It is one of the top places to enjoy the outdoors in Washington State.

On the mountain's southeast side is the Mount Adams Recreation Area. A part of the mountain is also part of the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation, so only parts of the reservation are open for public recreation. The west side of the mountain is managed by the U.S. Forest Service (the eastern half of the reservation is managed by the tribe).

In all, Mount Adams is a potentially exhilarating place to visit, and a highly underrated alternative to tourist traps like Mount Rainier.