Salmo Divide Trail #535

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Access:
To get to the Salmo Divide Trail trailhead, take (Washington State Highway) WA 20 north, continue on WA 31 to just before Ione, and turn right onto Sullivan Lake Road for 12.8 miles. Just pass the north end of Sullivan Lake, turn right onto Sullivan Creek Rd./Forest Service Road FSR 22. After 6 miles, continue straight on Sullivan Creek Rd as it becomes FSR 2220. Another 13 miles on Sullivan Creek Rd./FSR 2220 brings one to the trailhead, where the road ends.

Water:
There are no water sources along this trail.

Dogs:
If your dog is restrained, it is allowed off leash.

The Salmo Divide Trail starts off at a large traihead sign at the current end of FSR 2220. The trail's first mile is on an old forest road style trail -the old end of FSR 2220. The trail is flat and wide open. And on a steep hillside, with dropoffs to the left/north, and the mountain rising up on the right/south. There are good views of the forested far side of the South Salmo River valley. In a few places the trail narrows where there's been rockslides and washouts along the old road. (the reason why it's no longer open to vehicles...?)

The trail becomes singletrack after the first mile. Over the next/second mile, it climbs to the Salmo Divide ridge high country. This climb is in the forest, with limited views.

At about the 3 mile mark, the trail breaks out into high, hillside meadows, with an abundance of summer wildflowers, and views of mountains - close and far. Shedroof Mountain, 6,759 ft., is seen nearby, ahead, to the southeast. Leveling off now, with only a few small ups and downs remaining, the trail re-enters the forest, however the trees are sparser. And mountain views are good.

Nearing the end of Salmo Divide Trail, the trail descends a few switchbacks to arrive at an open space with a dry trail camp and a major trail junction. Salmo Divide Trail ends here, at the Shedroof Divide Trail that goes both north and south from here. Salmo Divide Trail is a good access trail to the Shedroof Divide and its trail, from the west/Washington.

Mixed conifer forest with lush undergrowth at the lower elevations/trail start. As the trail climbs, the forest thins, grassy meadows with summer wildflowers take over, with a few remaining stretches of forest. Deer and bears are around.