Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Section 8

Rolling farmland and forests of Eastern Washington intersperse the Pacific Northwest Trail between Republic and Oroville. It's a 10.5-mile hitchhike from Republic south along Highway 21 to return to the PNT, or an 8.5-mile hitchhike west along Highway 20 to the intersection with the PNT at Sweat Creek Campground and Forest Service Road 31. Assuming you are picking the trail back up at the intersection with Highway 21, the first 25 miles are along unpaved Forest Service roads through the Colville and Okanogan national forests. From Sweat Creek to Cougar Camp the PNT follows a trail that is mostly forested before leaving the national forest for 9.4 miles that lead through private farmland. There is no designated place to camp, and dispersed camping may be confused for trespassing along private roads, so plan this section in a way that avoids having to set up for the night in this area. Upon returning to the Okanogan National Forest, there are ample camping options at Bonaparte Lake, a quiet and scenic lake surrounded by fir and pine trees. From Bonaparte Lake the trail gains elevation as it skirts Mount Bonaparte, offering views of the surrounding forests and valley hamlets. Between Highlands Sno-Park and Mount Wilcox Road the PNT again follows roads alongside private property with less-than-ideal places to camp for the night in this 6 miles of the hike. However, once again the trail enters a small section of the Okanogan National Forest and follows this for most of the way into Oroville along the Whistler Canyon Trail. The final 3.4 miles of this section into Oroville is along Highway 97. Many hikers opt to hitch this short section rather than walk along the shoulder of the road. As in Northport, the PNT goes right through the town of Oroville. Better than Northport, Oroville is a much larger town with more amenities and options to camp and shower in Lake Osoyoos State Park just outside of town. The town is nestled between the Okanogan and Similkameen Rivers. It has a post office, two grocery stores, a motel, and lots of restaurants. It's the last true town that the trail passes through before entering the Pasayten Wilderness and crossing Ross Lake into the North Cascades National Park. It'll be a long section of trail between towns, so many hikers use this opportunity to get a good night's rest and a good dose of freshly cooked food before a few weeks subsisting on trail rations alone. For additional details, refer to the following PNT sections: Pacifc Northwest National Scenic Trail Overview Pacifc Northwest National Scenic Trail Section 7 Pacifc Northwest National Scenic Trail Section 9