Mailbox Peak

This hike was amazing. I did it by myself as a conditioning hike and it definitely didn't disappoint. It was a cloudy day, and not too hot, which was also really nice. Most of the hike you'll find yourself shaded by the trees, so even on hot days I don't think it'll be too bad. I didn't stay more than 5 minutes at the top because, like I said, I was conditioning, but you should be sure to bring a jacket or something warm with you as it gets pretty chilly at the top if you're staying any longer than 5 minutes. There were also a few bugs on the trail, mostly at the lower elevation, and then again at the summit, so it'll be a good idea to bring bug spray too.

As everyone says, the hike takes far longer than you might expect. You should consider that 4 hours will be the MINIMUM roundtrip time, but the average hiker will find 6-7 hours more adequate.

There wasn't a lot of traffic, though I expected more on a Saturday without rain. The trail is pretty well marked if you're observant, but it's still easy to get lost if you're staring at your feet the whole time. A lot of the hikers were using trekking poles, which is probably a good idea if you haven't thought of that yet. Be aware though that coming down is almost harder than going up. As steep as it is, your knees will take a beating, even if you're going slow.

All in all though, I had a great time and would do it again ... once I get the spring back in my knees :)

P.S. Be aware, when you reach the sign for the trail, that you need to take the trail to the right of the sign, and not keep going on the gravel trail. A few people (including myself) made that mistake to start off.

Happy Hiking!