The Mount Fremont Trail, an easy half-day hike from the popular (and spectacular) Sunrise area, is an extremely popular hike that can be combined with other Sunrise-area destinations for a full day of wandering among some of the most spectacular mountain and alpine parkland scenery in the United States. The old fire-watch tower at trail's end is dubbed the Fremont Lookout, but the stilted cabin actually sits on a secondary knoll, not the true summit, of Mount Fremont. That's okay, though, since the views from this historic structure are improved by its location at the more northern knob. On clear days, Glacier Peak, Mount Stuart, and even Mount Baker can be seen. If the air is too hazy for those distant views, watch the slopes around the north side of the ridge--mountain goats frequently rest on the slope as it drops off just past the trail's end.

The trail climbs to the top of Sourdough Ridge. At the Y-junction 0.2 mile out, go left and at the ridge-top junction at 0.3 mile, stay left again to hike west along the spine of Sourdough Ridge. At about 1 mile out, you pass a side trail on the right leading down to Forest Lake in Huckleberry Basin. Continue straight ahead (west) along the ridge top for 1.2 miles, passing small Frozen Lake. Watch for winking blond marmots in the rocks.

At lake's end is an intersection. Turn due north (right). It's an easy 1.3 miles through magnificent meadow and rugged rock-ridge terrain to the lookout, situated to keep watch on hundreds of miles of rolling green (or clear-cut) forest all the way to the central Cascades and Olympics.

If conditions are right, your binoculars might even find downtown Seattle. Look for the brown haze. Up closer, if your timing is right, you might see mountain goats. Excellent Rainier views, of course, tantalize you all along the route. Expect heavy traffic all summer long (many, many gapers) on this trail, which gains 800 feet one-way. It's a good family hike--even if you're here without a family.