The Wenatchee Foothills is a series of trails connecting protected former farmlands like the 1500 acres of Horse Lake Reserve, and other areas in the foothills overlooking the Wenatchee and Columbia River.  The Wenatchee Foothills trail system offers miles of trails with 360-degree views of the Cascades, the city of Wenatchee, and the Wenatchee-Okanagan National Forest.  The area is managed by the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust and is accessed by several trailheads not far from downtown.

 

Glacier View Trail (Brian Hermans)

 

Trailheads:

Horse Lake Reserve

Maiden Lane

Day Drive

Sage Hills

Lower Castle Rock

Jacobson Preserve

Dry Gulch

 

A seven-mile run from Horse Lake Reserve that’s easy to navigate with 1400′ of climbing starts out by heading up the Homestead Trail for 3.1 miles to the Glacier View Trail.  Head right on Glacier View for two miles to Burts Trail.  Head left on Burts and back to the trailhead.  It’s a quick way to enjoy views of the Enchantments and the Wenatchee Valley.

 

Horse Lake Trail (Adam McDonald)

 

A 12.5-mile run from Maiden Lane trailhead gives some great views of the area, including the Enchantments section of the Cascades.  Enter on Maiden Lane Trail past Balsomroot Trail to Sage Hills Trail and turn right on the Gut Trail and turn left on Coyote Canyon shortly after.  Continue climbing on Coyote Canyon for 1 mile to the Lightning Trail for another left for two miles until Lower Apricot Twist.  Turn right for a mile and continue straight on Homestead Connector trail and head right on Homestead.  In two miles, take a right on Sage Hills Trail, AKA Lone Pine.  In a mile, is a three trail intersection of Jackhammer, Lone Pine, and Horse Lake Road.  Turn left on Horse Lake Road for 1.5 miles and then head right on Balsomroot and back to Maiden Lane and the starting trailhead.

 

Sage Hills (Daniel Casey)

 

Another way to connect to the Wenatchee Foothills Trail is from The Day Drive Trailhead using the Sage Hills Trail.  The 1.2-mile lower section of the trail will connect to the two runs listed to add some extra miles and 250′ of climbing.   Click on the map below to see how to combine these routes on CalTopo.