Hiking from trailheads along the Mountain Loop Highway reveals a variety of native wildflowers, plants, and insects to photograph, such as: Columbine (genus Aquilegia), fireweed, Cornus canadensis (Canadian Dwarf Cornel, or Canadian Bunchberry, or bunchberry dogwood), Five-Finger Fern (or Western Maidenhair, or Adiatnum pedatum aleuticum), False Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum), vine maple leaves silhouetted, heavy moss on trees, water drops on skunk cabbage (Lysichitum americanum), fall foliage colors, hoverfly on daisies, and Swallowtail butterfly.
The closest towns and services along the Mountain Loop Highway include Granite Falls, Verlot Public Service Center, and Darrington in Washington, USA.