Copper Ridge Loop Permit

About this permit

The Copper Ridge loop runs from the Hannegan Pass Trailhead at about 3,100 feet over Hannegan Pass at 5,100, along a 13.9-mile ridge past the Copper Ridge Lookout at about 6,270 feet, then down a descent the park describes as precipitous (2,400 feet in five miles) to the Chilliwack River, and back out. It publishes five miles and 2,000 feet to Boundary Camp, the Copper Ridge Trail at 13.9 miles gaining 1,817 feet from Boundary or 4,170 from the Chilliwack, and the Chilliwack River Trail at 17.3 miles.

Three camps sit on the ridge (Silesia, Egg Lake and Copper Lake), each with composting toilets and food storage lockers, each with sites capped at four people, and none allowing campfires. Fires are also prohibited at Boundary and Whatcom camps.

Water governs the itinerary. The park's guidance is that the Copper Ridge trail is hot and dry in summer and to carry enough water; that in summer there is no water between Boundary Camp and the ridge; that ridge water is available at Copper and Egg Lakes; that Silesia has no water once the snow melts, requiring a one-mile round trip to Egg Lake; and that there is no reliable water between one mile east of Copper Lake and the Chilliwack River.

Fire closures have reshaped the loop. As of the park's August 7, 2026 closure list, the U.S. Cabin Stock Camp, Graybeal and Graybeal Stock camps and Whatcom Camp are closed, and the trail is closed beyond Whatcom Pass. Graybeal, Graybeal Stock and Whatcom are closed due to fire damage from 2022; Bear Creek camp has been closed since a 2021 fire; and Little Chilliwack Camp no longer exists because the Chilliwack River changed course.

On the ground in 2026, the park reported on August 5 that the trail crew had logged out the entirety of the Copper Loop and flagged a new landslide on the bottom of the north switchbacks, and that the lower Chilliwack from Brush Creek to Indian Creek had been cleared and brushed through the burn scar. On July 12 it noted the Chilliwack crossing running high enough that groups should be prepared with good stream-crossing tactics, crossing early in the morning with trekking poles, and a debris flow just east of the crossing that can be tricky to navigate.

Permits are the park complex's standard: $10 per person for adults 16 and over, youth free, plus $6 non-refundable. The 2026 early-access lottery ran March 2 to 13, results March 20, awarded booking March 24 to April 21, general on-sale April 29 at 7:00 am PT. Roughly 60% of sites are reservable in advance with the rest held for walk-ups up to 24 hours ahead. Reservations are not allowed for trips in this area starting before July 1, and the park's stated prime season is mid-July to mid-September. The camps stay snow-covered into July, and the park warns that attempting the ridge before the snow melts is dangerous, with proficiency on steep snow with an ice axe and readiness for high creek crossings both required.

Check the status of Hannegan Pass Road (USFS Road 32) with the Forest Service before you drive.

The route

The park publishes the pieces: five miles and 2,000 feet of gain to Boundary Camp, rated moderate; the Copper Ridge Trail itself at 13.9 miles, gaining 1,817 feet from Boundary or 4,170 feet from the Chilliwack River, rated strenuous and hiker-only; and the Chilliwack River Trail at 17.3 miles with 2,365 feet of loss. Elevations run from about 3,100 feet at the trailhead through Hannegan Pass at 5,100 and the Copper Lookout at about 6,270, with Whatcom Pass at 5,206.

Water is the defining problem. The park says the Copper Ridge trail is hot and dry in the summer and to carry enough water, and then gets specific: in summer there is no water between Boundary Camp and the ridge; water on the ridge is available at Copper and Egg Lakes; there is no water at Silesia Camp once the snow melts, so you fetch it from Egg Lake on a one-mile round trip; and there is no reliable water between one mile east of Copper Lake and the Chilliwack River.

The river crossing is the other. The park's instruction is to ford the Chilliwack River only at low water and use the cable car crossing at other times. During late July and August the river is often less than knee deep. The cable car was replaced in October 2019.

Why it matters

The Copper Ridge and Chilliwack loop is the classic multi-day route in the north end of the park complex, and the park calls it one of the most popular backcountry destinations, with permits difficult to obtain during busy periods. It is also the loop most changed by fire: several Chilliwack-side camps have been closed since a 2022 burn and the trail is closed beyond Whatcom Pass.