Transit options to Mazama

This content was last updated on 2026 March 24th.

This page is just for people heading to Section L. There is another Public Transit page that covers transit to other trailheads. The easiest way to travel is to get another hiker or trail angel to give you a ride the entire way. You can connect with private drivers on the Facebook Group PCT Washington Trail Angels. Taxi, Uber, or Lyft are not options except near the airport.

Note, Interstate 5 is the busiest highway in the state. It should be easy to get a ride at least to where I-5 intersects State Route 20. That is at Exit 230 where your ride can drop you off at Holiday Market or McDonald's and get right back on the highway in either direction. If your ride will take you another 2 miles, a nicer place to wait in Burlington is on E Fairhaven Avenue between Pine and Oak St.

East or West

Traveling to Mazama via Wentachee is the only way to get there entirely by public transit, but that is the most complex and time consuming way to do it. Instructions for that route are at the bottom of this page. All other instructions on this page assume you will ultimately be traveling eastbound on SR20 to Mazama sometime after the road opens in the spring (never later than the last week in May).

Coming from the west there is no way to complete the route using only public transit. You will need private transportation for the last leg of the route, but it is a more direct route.

Airport options

Seattle-Tacoma Airport (SEATAC) is the most common arrival point for any trailhead north of White Pass. Everett Paine Airfield (PAE) is the best option for accessing the trail anywhere north of Stevens Pass. And Bellingham Airport (BLI) is also a good option that gets you close to SR20 and Rainy Pass.

Arriving at SeaTac

Walking to the Sound Transit Light Link Rail Station at SeaTac

From the baggage claim area, go up one level to the ticketing counters. Walk N/NE to the last skybridge over the road. Take that skybridge over the road to the parking garage. Stay on that same level of the parking garage as you walk NE to the far corner of the parking garage. The level you should be on is the only level of the parking garage with windows on the north side, and a wide light-green stripe on the floor. When you reach the NE corner of the parking garage you will see the skybridge to the Light Rail station.

Take Line 1 northbound

Schedule

If you are staying the night in Seattle

then you can decide which Line 1 stop is best for you.

If you are connecting with the Greyhound bus north

then get off at the Stadium Station. Walk just a few feet north to S. Royal Brougham Way. Turn right (east) and walk 1/2 block to the Greyhound Bus Station on 6th avenue S.
(Bus runs once daily 11:15 AM) Greyhound

If you are connecting with the AmTrak train north

then get off at the International District/Chinatown Station (an underground station). Take the escalators to the surface. Walk south through the plaza to S Weller Street. Turn Right (west) and go 1/2 block to the Weller St pedestrian bridge. At the far end of the pedestrian bridge you will go down the stairs to the street level and turn right (north). The King Street Train Station is right in front of you on the right side of the street. Total distance 0.3 miles.

(Amtrak Cascades route runs twice daily at 8:30 AM or 6:00 PM) AmTrak

Note, both the bus and the train advertise WiFi on board.

Mount Vernon Park & Ride

Depart either the train or the bus at the Mount Vernon Park & Ride on E. Kincaid Street, right next to Interstate 5 (exit 226). If you need a hotel in Mt Vernon, there are four inexpensive hotels about 1.5 miles north of the bus stop.

Mt Vernon to Concrete

The closest you can get to Rainy Pass from the west via public transit is Concrete, WA which is still 69 miles from Rainy Pass and has no hotels. Skagit Transit Route 70X will take you from Mt Vernon Park & Ride to the Concrete Park & Ride located at on N. Superior Ave, Concrete, WA. The bakery just east of the bus stop is a nice place to wait for a ride. Skagit Transit

Coming from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

The same bus and train route that gets you to Mount Vernon, WA from Seattle, also gets you there from Vancouver, BC.

Arriving at Everett Paine Airfield (PAE)

Bus route 8 stops directly in front of the airport terminal. Take that bus to the Everett Station. From there take Skagit Transit bus 90X to the Skagit Station in Mt Vernon, WA.

Arriving at Bellingham Airport (BLI)

Bellingham airport is closer to Highway 20, but requires a slightly more complex bus route from there to Burlington or Mt Vernon to connect with trail angel rides.
Route 3 - From the Bellingham airport to the WTA Bellingham Station (E Magnolia St.)
Route 80 From the WTA Bellingham Station to the Chuckanut Park & Ride in Burlington or the Mount Vernon Park & Ride.

Traveling from the east via Wenatchee

Starting in 2023 the TranGo bus will take you all the way to the Mazama Store. Bus does not run on Sundays.

  1. Northwestern or Wenatchee Valley Shuttle from Seattle to Wenatchee. Reserve on Greyhound
  2. Apple Line route 802 from Wenatchee to Pateros once daily (300 S. Columbia)
  3. TranGo bus from Pateros to Twisp. (In Pateros, Lakeshore Drive & Commercial Avenue)
  4. You will need to change TranGo busses in Twisp to get to Mazama. (In Twisp, Canyond Road & SR20)
  5. The Mazama Store is 0.7 miles NE from the Lion's Den. You may be able to get the bus driver to drop you off at the turn-off from SR20 which is only 0.2 miles from The Lion's Den.
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