Took a week to complete this beautiful loop. We'd attempted it with our kids 7 years ago, but got turned back by snow in mid-August. We were back again at the same time of year, but this one was warm and bone dry.
Go to the East Bank Trail Head on HWY 20, and head up the 57 switchbacks (yeah--make a game of counting them, it's 3300 ft of elevation gain, you'll welcome distraction) to McMillan Park. The Trail has many logs over it, but not hard to follow. Water on Aug 17 was near impossible to find, despite large stream beds. But it's gorgeous up there, no regrets!
We encountered a lot of people hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail, and they spread out around this area depending on which route they choose after getting to Castle Pass. We were going against the flow, heading up through Devils Park and over to Devils Pass. This section has some ups and downs, but more water.
After Devils Pass it's lovely high hiking, gentler grades and fun saddles and streams. Once you get to the PCT, it's clear sailing and spectacular up to Castle Pass.
At Castle Pass you turn left at a rock cairn in the meadow beyond the sign. PCTers head straight to monument only 4 miles north, we met lots going both ways, yoyoing back to Harts Pass or getting to Manning. The Trail from here is brushy and often hard to follow. We counted 218 downfall, so currently it takes some patience.
Once the boundary trail starts the major switchbacks into 3 Fools, the Trail has been very recently logged out. It was dry as can be there. We also ran into Customs and Border Patrol trainees, about 25 of them. They are already patrolling the boundary trail in the eastern Pasayten, so they are no doubt going to start on this section once it's logged out fully.
After the decent, the Trail down to Ross Lake is in great shape, and it's a nice quiet corner of the park. We hit the lake and were overwhelmed by the boating campground scene so we stayed briefly and got back to the car early.
We are hoping that CBP and others that explore this area are respectful and use no trace camping techniques. It's been a remote area during the years of deferred maintenance on the trail and unlike the bombed out camps along the PCT, this area got a rest. It's also dry, and parts may have burned by now, so no fires should be started up there.
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