Artist Ridge – Huntoon Point

Artist Ridge is the payoff walk: 1.2 miles round trip, 200 feet of gain, and a 5,150-foot high point reached straight from the Artist Point parking lot. Nothing else up here hands you this much view for this little effort, which is why it’s our default answer for first-timers and anyone short on time.

The honest caveat is the season. WTA is blunt that this trail is accessible for less than three months a year — the road to Artist Point opened June 10 this summer and closes with the first heavy snow, usually October — and the lot itself can still hold snow in late summer. Road timing, parking, and the rest of what’s up there are in our complete Artist Point guide.

Know before you go

• Round trip: 1.2 miles out to Huntoon Point
• Elevation gain: 200 feet; high point 5,150 feet
• Trailhead: the Artist Point lot at the end of SR 542, about 45 minutes from our A-frame and an hour from the red cabin
• Northwest Forest Pass ($5 day / $30 annual) or America the Beautiful pass required
• Accessible under three months a year; snow can linger at the lot into late summer