Trip Reports

Hiked with our six year old and two dogs. All made the journey fine. The trail was in great shape, though there was a lot of water flow, so the stream crossings were percarious for the wee lad. The falls were beautiful, especially with the high water flow. We left at noon, made it back by 5, just as it was getting dark.

A great hike, just beautiful through and through. The trail is in great condition. Find a privy before you get there, the sound of water gives a bladder some ideas and getting far enough off the trail for leave no trace could be a tad treacherous if you're not paying attention.

The fall color was peak! The understory positively glowed and there was very little trail traffic, we had the Ledge to ourselves. And ideal and lovely fall family hike.

Went hiking on the North Trail in Dugualla State Park (at the east end of Sleeper Road on Whidbey Island). It's a short jaunt, but worth it. It's only about 1/2 mile all the way around. Extremely easy hike, but memorable.

At the 1.2 mile mark, the trail is officially closed. We have hiked this trail before and although you can go beyond that point, we have decided it's not safe to do so with children.

The trail begins with long switchbacks that take you down into the canyon. There is some elevation loss so there will be a bit of a climb on the way back, but nothing that should be a problem even for small children. Once in the canyon, the trail is nice and flat. At about the 1/2 mile mark, the trail meets up with the Stillaguamish River.

About 2/3 of the way there are a couple of small stream crossings. One was a bit tricky to cross for our youngest, but she managed to cross without getting her feet too wet. Shortly after the stream crossings we came to an area where standing water covered the entire trail. The only way to continue along the trail was to walk through the standing water. We had no choice but to turn around at that point.

To see more of our hike go to: http://1retromama.blogspot.[…]trail-snohomish-county.html

The goal for today was to get out on the trail for some fresh air and not get our feet muddy. Gold Creek Pond turned out to be AWESOME for today, though I'd love to come back in the summer and see it against the blue sky.

The one mile path is PAVED around this manmade lake (used to be a gravel pit). POURING RAIN and totally FUN! It was cold up there, though and we saw a little (tiny) bit of snow, too. The lake itself is gorgeous and apparently quite deep. It was perfect because of the pavement-no mud. Even though we each had our own custom-trimmed garbage bag (!) we got pretty wet. Well, everyone except my daughter who enjoyed Gramma's umbrella.

The challenge was keeping the camera dry in the moisture-laden air, I'm going to have to think on that one. About half way around (we went counter clockwise), there's a peninsula. We walked out to the end. Gramma found a few rocks and the kids enjoyed "kerplunking" them into the water.

A few vine maples were in brilliant fall color against the dark hemlocks and gray sky. Super easy to find, vault toilets at parking lot. Easy, flat walk with beautiful scenery!

New ropes added.

  Weather was not looking good for this weekened so I waited until Saturday morning to decide if I would hike. There was sunshine over Whidbey Island around 11:00 am so I was off on my hike #41 to Fort Ebey State Park to hike the bluff trail.
  Upon arriving at the park I found large fields of hail that I first thought was snow when I pulled in to the parking lot. It was still quite cold but no rain or hail just some great sunshine but it was short lived by about two hours. I was able to hike the whole bluff trail, some of the beach and also out to Lake Pondilla .
 I saw some Bald Eagles flying around but did not get any good pictures of them. I saw a boy scout troop doing some community service in the park which was nice. I was suprised at the number of people still camping with the weather the last week but I guess in this state you can't be detered by weather or your never get outside.
  All and all a nice couple of hours for a hike that was about 4 miles in length including the trail out to Lake Pondilla. Even the smallest of hikes is worth getting outside and enjoying myself while leaving any stress behind. Checkout the videos of this hike or over 235 other hikes I have done in Washington State on my youtube channel at lmm3181 or click on these direct links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpaUAF8CtKM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEMWlyn63v4
As always get out and enjoy this beautiful state and enjoy your hiking.
Take Care
Mike

  35 degrees and snowing. Trail to the lake from the parking lot was in good shape. Snow level was right at trail, standing water but no ice or snow accumulations on trail. Fall colors were out and brilliant. 11 miles to lake and back... good hike!! By the way, map not working on phone... packwood, WA. Off of hwy 12 @ skate creek cut off head south on fs road to parking lot.

Today's outing was a trail work party on the new Mailbox Peak trail near North Bend. Fortunately, the rain stayed away during our work on this cloudy day. There was plenty of parking at the trailhead--not too many people climbing Mailbox--probably a good idea, as heavy rain arrived just after we drove away. This new trail is currently closed to the public. About 20 people attended.

We ascended the newly-paved access road to the trailhead, serving both the new and old trails, and then we made an early left turn into the woods at a trail closed off with orange mesh. We proceeded about 1/2 mile up the trail, which follows an old logging road. We split into two groups. A smaller group (which included me) went to work on a 33-foot turnpike at a spot with water on the trail. The larger group went a few hundred yards up the trail to complete dirtwork on a turnpike and to move boulders for a rock wall. By the way, this "turnpike" terminology was new to me today: it refers to a section of trail that has been elevated using rock fill to eliminate areas of standing water and mudholes.

Our group was able to nearly complete the turnpike today. We dug a drain, scavenged rocks from the mountainside (what is a mountain if not a great big reservoir of rock?) to use as fill, and transported dirt to form a new trail path over the rock fill. We took a break for lunch with the other group, and then got back to work. It was less exertion than a slog up Mailbox, but it was a full day of work. I made new acquaintances and had a great time!

Beautiful fall foliage all throughout this hike right now. I had never been to lava canyon, despite living so close (Woodland). This was a great choice for the day. I took myself and my three kids, ages 4, 8, and 10, and all loved it. We traversed the Lava Canyon Loop, and I would say this is a fairly safe hike as long as you are holding little one's hands and NOT veering off the beaten path. It was pouring down rain that day, but was nothing a raincoat couldn't fix. All in all a beautiful hike I'm glad I didn't overlook.

It promised to be a beautiful day and we wanted to take advantage of it. We hit the trail around 11am and although it was chilly to start with, it warmed up quickly. Hard to believe we had to “goop up” with sunscreen in October! The trail was pleasant although VERY dusty and slightly muddy in places. I think the most annoying part was figuring out which trail was which. Depending on where you started from it was kind of hard to tell where to go. Granted I’m directionally dysfunctional but I thought it could be signed a little better. After a few false starts, and a bit of backtracking we figured it out and were on our way. The blueberry shrubs were stunning and although fall color was primary, there were a few late bloomers here and there. It was strange to see sheets of ice with lupine blooming a few feet away. A very odd season indeed! The highlight was turning the bend and coming face to face with Mt. Rainier in all its glory. The meadows leading up painted all in reds, oranges, yellows and browns. Wasn’t what I was expecting. It was better! We lucked out with the winds as it kept the smoke from the forest fires off to the west. We had a peak-a-boo view of Mt. Adams in the distance which was nice as it was to hazy to see a month ago from Skyline. I can’t wait to come back spring next year to see it all in full bloom!

We arrived at the Lake Serene parking lot around 10:30 AM and it was already pretty full, so you should plan on getting there early and you will need a US Forest Service pass at the trailhead. The first part of the Lake Serene trail is mainly flat with some moderate inclines to the cutoff trail leading to the falls at about 1.7 miles in. It starts from the parking lot along a railroad grade and gradually narrows down to a more traditional trail. There are no obstacles or water anywhere on this part of the Lake Serene trail at this time.

The cutoff trail to Bridal Veil falls is also in good condition. It is a combination of dirt and loose rocks and is generally steeper than the main trail. I would recommend a trekking pole for this section of the trail, mainly for the loose rock. There are great views of the Skykomish River valley from this part of the trail and the falls are always a great place for a picnic lunch.

Trail up to Heather Lake is in good condition. Small creeks flowing over the trail are very low. The temp drops rapidly towards the south side of the lake with some frost beginning to form just off the trail. Be careful on the wood walkway towards the southeast side of the lake. The frost is sticking here making for some slippery wood. A few small fish jumping. Enjoyable hike as always!

Gorgeous day for a little walk in the woods, perfect conditions for great fall pictures. There i was with my two year old daughter and our miniature dachshund when a huge bird landed on a nearby tree branch, almost above our heads and stared at my dog like there was a bunny next to me. I grabbed the camera, took a few shots and backed off because it felt liek the bird was going to attack my dog any minute. I have never seen wild life this close and i have to say it was a pretty amazing sight.

Scenery was beyond amazing. Photographer's delight to be sure.

In hindsight, I would not recommend taking kids beyond the suspension bridge (turn left - not right). We were looking for a longer hike and our grandsons are definitely up to the challenge of a "difficult" trail.

The trail to the right of the suspension bridge is marked "difficult" - however, it should be marked "dangerous." There was one portion of the trail in particular where the very narrow trail surface was so slippery (loose sandy-gravel) combined with a sheer drop-off on one side and a rock face on the other that was quite harrowing. Cable hand-holds along this portion of the trail should be considered.

Other than that, it was an amazingly-beautiful hike. I'm looking forward to returning!

On Saturday, we headed off to the golden larches (larches, not arches - the nearest McDonald's is many miles away). And we found lots of them. Great foliage color on the slopes, and the lake practically glowed in vivid shades of deep blue and aqua. Go on a weekday if you can. There was a lot of traffic on the trail, and at the lake. There was even a wedding happening on the shoreline.

Trail condition was excellent. No snow or mud, and only two easily-straddled blowdowns.

For serious photographers, I recommend going early, to reconnoiter your shooting spots. At this time of year, the sun is low in the sky, and barely clears the rock wall at the south side of the lake. By 2:30pm, the lake was half-covered by shadow.

Went with three friends to this hike. Can you believe the trail is still completely free of snow? Arrived at the trailhead around 10:30 with no problems finding a parking spot. Most of the hikers on this day would be leaving after us.

Saw three groups on the way up the trail, which is almost completely in the shade which is a huge benefit for a really hot day hike. Fortunately for us today, perfect clear day with the temp in the 50s as started. Pretty clear sailing going up to the top of the peak, which looks daunting from Eunice Lake however it is only another 10-15 minutes tops from the lake itself.

On the way down there were at least 20 groups heading up.

Did not encounter any bugs or animals along the trip.

 Never went this way before, impressed with it being about 90 minutes from the Seattle area.

Spectacular. The trail was very dusty, and a bit of ice crystals are showing on the side of some shaded areas. This is a very popular trail and the "no pets" signs are ignored by everyone. There were dogs everywhere. Some of the trail overlaps the Pacific Crest Trail, and we assumed horse riding is allowed on it, since there was poop all over the first mile or so (after the pedestrian bridge over 410). Either that, or bears are very peculiar about pooping only on the trail. The views are stunning. The ground covers were showing all shades of red. Next year we need to do it in the summer.

Great hike for kids, flat and lots of different types of trees to see. Had a 4, 2, and 7mo old with us and the flat trail was easy for all. Attempted to do a figure 8 but there's a lot of vegetation making that route impassible (even without kids I don't know if you could get through). Before it was completely blocked, there were a number of blown down trees across the trail which the kids had fun going over and under though. Started going clockwise, crossed the shortcut trail, then continued counter clockwise. We will be going back again end of Nov/beginning of Dec to revisit when the salmon are running (and going the opposite direction).

First real Hike w/ my 5yo son Beautiful day, clear sky, fresh forest smell in the air, even the occasional aroma of horse manure...mmmm!!
Great hike for kids, some steep grades that should be mindful of a precosious 5yo who likes to run.

Great day hike for families with kids. We had 9 and 12 year old, and 2 year old in backpack carrier. Views were breathtaking. Very crowded on the weekend. On ledge itself, the noise resembled that of a crowded room. I wouldn't consider it a deterrent, but maybe would do it on a weekday if we were to go again.

It was a wonderful day hike with great fall sunny weather. We got to see the excellent view of the lake and larches in full color. It was a 4-mile round trip hike, fairly easy even for small kids. It got a bit crowded during the day. Two blowdowns on the trail, but nothing to worry about.

Long drive (3.5 hours) from Seattle. Next time I would start way earlier.

I arrived at the parking area around 11:00am in the morning. I was accompanied by my friend, Jim, and his two children (a 6 year old and an 8 year old). We loaded our gear and set off on the Main Access Trail.
    My intent was to walk down the Sawmill Trail then Margaret Trail, on to the Kiosk, but I wasn’t sure which way it was, so we ended up walking down towards the beach via the Access Road. I figured we could just walk the Margaret Trail back, since I knew how to get there from the bottom of the trail.
     It took us about 20-30 minutes to reach the Kiosk, where we looked at the map. We had to cross Boyce Creek to reach the other trails and sites in the Nature Preserve. The only problem was the areas on both sides of the bridge were covered with water. I had worn light running shoes. My solution was to tie plastic bags over both feet and cross.
    First, we walked over to the Stump House. It looked like a giant drift wood stump that someone nailed a few boards to. This is where the flashlight came in handy. I walked inside the stump to look around.
    While we were walking to and from the Stump House, I felt hot air being carried by the breeze through the valley. Interestingly enough, while we were driving back later that day, we noticed three fire trucks and an ambulance on Holly Road. Turns out a camper caught on fire and burned down completely. This was about 4-5 miles away from Guillemot Cove.
    Next, we walked around the Ridge Trail around the Old Alder/Big Leaf Maple forest. This trail turned a lot and was a little steep. The kids had a little trouble walking up it. We ran into bear scat and apple trees around the trail.
    We stopped at the Beach House at the end of Ridge Trail to take a break and eat, then we started to trek back towards the Parking Area. We crossed the bridge and walked over to the Nest House to look around. Afterwards, we walked on Margaret Trail and Sawmill Trail back to the Parking Area. While walking, I noticed the abundance of Huckleberries scattered around the area. I did not see any wildlife eating them, though

I figured the snows are coming so better do this now. It was an absolutely beautiful day. Getting to Ape Cave was actually easier than I thought. There are signs on the road. The only sign that I missed was the one from 90 to 83 because it is very small and covered with tree leaves. It is 1 mile after the dam which is a big object of water. If you look at your GPS and see a large body of water on the right, then that's it.

Paid the $5 fee to park. The entrance to lower and upper cave is less than 1/4 mile from the parking lot and well identified. This is the entrance to both the upper and lower cave (see pic below). You will be greeted with a sign at the base of the staircase that will explain your options.

I only went about 100 yards into the lower cave before I realized it was not the hike for me. Too easy. A group of High School kids (3 school bus worths!) had just done the Lower Caves. I figured if there was anything special to see in the Lower Caves it would have been obliterated or taken by those kids anyways.

The journey into the Upper Cave greets you with a rock pile almost immediately. It is the largest rock pile you will encounter. There are maybe 3 or 4 subsequent medium sized rock piles and countless smaller ones.

The best way to describe the rock piles would be to compare them to the rock barriers they put up near the ocean. If you have ever been to the ocean or a bay where they put up a rock wall, or a sea wall, then you know they use large irregular sized rocks that require you to slow down, find a place to step, and maneuver your feet onto it.

I took solace in the fact that the volcanic rock I was hiking on was very strong and had many surface irregularities which made for great traction! It was rare that I look my footing because of slippage. It is indeed moist and damp and cold inside. I wore but a thin wool sweater, gloves, boots, and thick hoodie and was quite comfortable. You will be sweating at the end of the hike so don't overdo the layers.

Very few people on this day. I only met 2 other parties on the way down to the end of the Upper Cave. I trekked with one person the first 100 yards down the lower cave before I turned around. The cave isn't for everyone. The wife of the man I trekked with down the lower cave turned back. She said she felt like crying and had a fear of heights (there aren't that many heights).

I do not recommend hiking poles for the Upper Cave. It will get in the way and slow you down. You can do it for the Lower Cave, but knowing what I do now, I would leave my hiking poles at home regardless of whether or not I was doing the Upper or Lower cave.

2 tough areas for me. The Rockfall or Waterfall (not sure what they call it). It's the 8 foot wall they talk about. The rock wall is very smooth and polished which makes it tougher than the other areas. There is a good foothold on the left side as well as great handholds near the top right that made it possible for me to get up by myself. I wound up giving a hand to the group that came after me and some of them really appreciated it, especially the 11 year old.

The second tough area is called the meatball. It is a large rock that looks like a meatball. It is very large and smooth. I was given a hand (by the same group with the 11 yr old) here so I cannot describe how to navigate it by yourself, but I can say the right side of the meatball is the direction most people went.

Once you reach the skylight, you are very close to the end, maybe 10 minutes. You know you have reached the end when you reach a staircase that is bent in two sections (it's the only one at the end). Once you make it outside, the trail back to the parking lot is on the left, demarcated by a blue sign. The hike back to the parking lot is very pretty indeed, loved every minute of it.

I suggest to do the Lava Canyon which is 10 miles down from the junction where 8303 and 83 meet. It is totally worth the views and information of Mt St Helens. Very beautiful indeed.

Glorius Fall day! Perfect for this relatively easy hike.. More of a walk really, as the "trail" is a road (up until the last bit just before the falls.) Perfect for a beginner like me, who isn't used to steep inclines yet. Just under 8 miles in and out gave me a good workout without needing to stop and catch my breath.. Slight elevation gain, but barely noticible.

The hike takes you along the Carbon river (which you can hear, but not see for the bulk of the walk) through a peaceful forested area filled with ferns and moss.. Very Northwesty. The river peeks in toward the trail occasionally making for terrific photo ops.

Once you reach the turnoff for the falls, you make your way over the river across some fun log bridges (be forewarned, if you have teenagers with you, they WILL bounce the log while you're crossing..) When you're mid-crossing, you get a terrific view of the tip of the Mountain..

Chenuis Falls are breathtaking, ending in a crystal clear pond. Serene. Perfect. Bring a snack to enjoy at the falls and fuel up for the walk out.

I will DEFINATELY be going back. Soon.

After a long drive on a rough pothole infested road my expectation was that the trail was going to be quite primative, but we were very pleasantly surprised once we actually got on the trail - and stayed on it until the end - to see not just how extremely well done the bridge and trail work is but the incredible majestic beauty all around us. We had a wonderful day hike with the kids. There were no visible bugs although I did get a mosquito bite from one stealthy marauder. I'm sure the others who reported bugs were hiking in late spring or early summer; by this time of year the trail was completely dry and bug free.

Kudos to the forestry service and volunteers. We've been on a lot of trails on the west coast and this is definitely one of our favorites now. They've built an impressive number of creek bridges and steps to resolve anything that might challenge a yound child or senior citizen from taking on the entire trail. This hike is definitely worth the minor annoyance of driving on a long pothole infested road to get to (leave the Prius at home and take your SUV, and budget an extra 20 minutes more than your GPS may tell you).

We capped off the day with dinner at the North Bend Bar and Grill two exits west, which had high yelp ratings and everyone loved. Total hiking distance was about 6.5 miles, and while the elevation change is indicted as 200 feet my Fitbit indicated 69 flights of stairs between the ups and downs. Nevertheless the 3, 8 and ten year olds who were with us all had lots of energy by the end of the trail and said it was "easy."

Got there around 8:45am. About 10 cars in the parking lot.
Parking appears to be very limited. Even the overflow parking doesn't hold much so get there early.
Trail was clear and dry.
Trail was not crowded at all. May be 6 people passed us on their way down and when we got to the top, only 4 people were up there.
Took about 1hr 15 minutes to get to the top with plenty of stops to take pictures and one water break.
Trail can easily be done in 2 hours round trip if you don't stop and don't stay at the top to long.
When we got back to the parking lot, it was full and plenty of loud youngsters on their way up.
Very easy hike. I've done Cedar Butte & Rattlesnake Ridge/Ledge and this is the easiest out of the 3 in the area.
The incline of the hike only last for a brief period then the trail goes flat for a while then incline, repeat.
Only thing I find annoying are the people who let their dogs off leash and they coming bouncing around the trail and when you're at the top, they wondering around you while you are trying to sit an enjoy the view. This appears to be the norm on all trails in this area even though signs are posted to leash you dog.
Overall, this is an easy hike for all ages.

Three days, four hikes, totally awesome each one. The Artist Ridge trail to Huntoon Point is actually a braided network of trails that amble all over the ridge. The main trail is very easy, wheelchair accessible for most of it, negligible elevation gain, and only one mile round trip. The only difficulty is that you have to stop every 5 feet to gawk in awe at Mt. Shuksan which looms in all its glory right in front of you. Of course there are all the heather meadows, deep valleys, and gorgeous terrain which also hold your attention.

Table Mountain is a very different story, especially if you have vertigo. The trail starts pleasantly enough from Artist Point parking lot but then switchbacks steeply up the face of a rock cliff totally exposed for about 50 yards. The tread is wide enough but it is a long way down from the edges. On top, you can wander for almost a mile to the end on gently rolling hummocks with snow in between and groves of trees here and there. Wide open views of Baker, Shuksan, and almost the entire North Cascades from up here.

Chain Lakes is a moderate 6 mile loop that takes you through rocky valleys, over passes, around lakes, and along the south slope of Table Mountain for a full frontal view of Mt. Baker. Our work party cleared drainages and worked tread on both ends of this trail. Two of us dashed up to Herman Saddle to look down on Iceberg and the other Chain Lakes. This trail is very popular. There were at least 200 hikers on the south stretch which gave us the opportunity to do more outreach for WTA than shovel work.

There is one bad stretch of about 10 yards on the north end of the Chain Lakes trail after it crosses the stone bridges. This is a rock cut section that was blasted out of the cliff years ago but not finished. The tread is uneaven, slippery when wet, and exposed straight down into the lake below. Very difficult to navigate on a damp morning with tools in each hand.

This summer I started hiking with my 4 year old son and this hike was awesome. Tons to explore and keep him interested and the falls are beautiful.

Nice family hiking day on one of our last beautiful weekends of the summer/fall. Road closures and closed trails forced us to focus our day in the Paradise area. Scenic hike as always, great mix of summer wildflowers and fall colors mixing to make a beautiful scenery.

I took my eight year old son with me on this dayhike and he did just fine, much to my surprise. His longest hike before this was 5 miles with less elevation change overall.

We started a little after 10am and decided to go counterclockwise. The parking area was already quite full by then. The weather was spectacular; atop Maple Pass you could see Glacier Peak in the distance but was hazy due to smoke. The trail is in great condition but is very dusty.

Saw plenty of people hiking this today and several groups brought their dogs and one couple even had their infant in a sling. The parking area was more full by the time we got back down at 2pm.

A pleasant day hike. The trail was in great condition.

It was a nearly perfect hike for families: we had our seven-month-old, and we saw many other children--both younger and older--enjoying the scenery.

The leaves were just beginning to turn. Should be great in a week or two.

First of all, I am certain the round trip for this hike is more than 8.6 miles. I am not sure how often the information on the WTA site is updated, but there has been a lot of damage to this trail over the last couple of years and I think the trail reconstruction has turned this into a longer hike than it is advertised. I think it is closer to 9 miles round trip, although a member of our party had a pedometer with him that measured the round trip at 10.8 miles.

Second, there are about four places along the last 1/3 of the trail heading to the river where the log bridges have been destroyed and you have to navigate what is left behind as well as deep mud in the areas surrounding the logs. I brought my six year old son on this hike, but I wouldn't do it again mainly due to the safety factor involved with having to get across these areas. My father and I were able to get through these areas with a trekking pole, but my son had trouble with them.

With those two things being said, this is still a very pleasant hike. Apart from the mud and broken logs in the areas I mentioned above, the trail is in pretty good shape right now. If you are hiking with kids, I suggest you turn around at the second set of large falls that are visible from the trail. That makes for about a 5 mile round trip hike and you will still see the main highlights of the trail.

Aside from the waterfalls and the river flowing along the trail, you will notice multiple varieties of fungi, cedar tress that appear to touch the sky, and huge skunk cabbage plants beside the trail. If you go for the full distance to the trails end next to the Boulder River, start early, wear a good pair of boots, and pack your trekking pole.

It was a gorgeous day for a hike! A trio of us started at Snoqualmie Point Park and ran into only a handful of people all the way up to East Peak. Rattlesnake Ledge and down to the lake was incredibly crowded as usual. The posted mileage on the trail varies from the WTA entry. Trail signage lists Grand Prospect at only 4.0 miles (vs. 4.9), then another 1.9 out to east peak. Total mileage comes out the same if you do the full trail, but FYI for those doing an out and back from Snoqualmie Point.

We hiked Lake Serene a couple years ago when there was still snow and we didn't make it. This time, we headed up on a Friday to do an overnight in late September. On Friday, there were only about 5 parties in addition to us. Everyone was gone by 5pm. No camping is allowed within a quarter mile of the lake, but we found a nice spot near the top of the last switchback about a half-mile from the lake. We were alone until about 11 am on Saturday and had the lake to ourselves. Then, the people came in droves. The parking lot was completely full when we got down at about 2pm. The trail is pretty narrow past the bridge after Bridal Veil, so heavy traffic can feel constricting. I was so happy we went up on Friday. Lots of pretty, young, vegetation along the trail.

Perfect hiking weather, excellent trail, spectacular views. When we arrived at 8:20 we were the tenth car in the lot. When we left at 1:30 approx 200 cars.

The hike up was medium difficulty and not too crowded. The view at the lake was blue skies, sparkling blue water, white clouds and melting snow fields around the rim -- 70 degrees, perfect hiking conditions.

The hike down took longer than the hike up. Swarms of people, some barefoot, some with infants, some with children, some dogs on leash, way too many running free. We spent at least 30 minutes waiting for groups to pass on the narrow trail.

But it was a wonderful hike.

The trail does not follow the lake's shoreline as much as I anticipated, if at all. The trail is narrow, making it difficult to walk side by side. Watch out for roots along the trail. Lots of little ups and downs. It makes for a decent short hike with kids, although there are better hikes in the area. The area seems more appropriate for trail running or mountain biking. I'd love to check out the mountain biking trails surrounding the lake. We were able to hike this in jeans and casual shoes. It took us about an hour and a half to circle the lake, walking a portion along the road. Walked with two kids; 10 and 6, and a dog.

Warning signs posted: Toxic Algae in the lake. No swimming. Keep pets out.

Very easy and nice hike. We took our kids, 10 and 5 yrs old. Road to trailhead is good and paved throughout(almost).

There are few stream crossings, of which last one is bit interesting. If you have water proof shoes, then nothing to worry, there are plenty of places to cross it. Perhaps this time of the year is better to do this trail, otherwise I can imagine the water flow to be very strong.

The views are "oh my god" type. To see a glacier so close and almost touch it is an experience. Kids loved it and so did we.

Kash

I did this loop with my daughter and it was a fantastic hike. The description on this site is good but would benefit from more information about the last section of the trail. First, trail 7A begins a full 1 1/2 miles from the Walupt Lake campground. Second, the guard station (if it still exists) is very hard to find and not a good landmark. The trail to ColrmamanWeedpatch and associated turnout across the road from 7A is a better landmark. Fourth, trail 7A is not very visibly signed so you really need to be looking out for it. And lastly, once you get on the trail, there are multiple trail junctions, marked only by small wooden signs attached to trees. Again, look closely for them.

Great conditions and perfect weather for the hike. Passed a few friendly hunters on the trail. Sounded like they were hunting out past the mine near the tree line. Easy access across the streams over the trail. Kids in the group ages 6-10.

The trail was perfect the whole way through : ) the wildflowers in most parts don't seem to be getting all that much water and are wilting away--and the fall colors aren't quite changing just yet.

We saw TONS of wildlife though! As soon as we hit the trail at 6:30am (sunrise) we saw two deer, little chipmunks all the way up to the little crossroads around 10am, then at 10:15am we saw a huge gathering of goats (20+) in the shadows of the mountain leading up to the view of Mt. Rainier. We also had birds land on our fingers without even having any food to offer them! We didn't see any bears though; maybe next time!

Lovely day : ) Striking views of everything! See more pictures here: https://www.facebook.com/me[…]amp;type=1&l=3509987b15

We had a great time going to the ice caves with two kids (2 & 6). The best part we liked about this hike was that strollers can be used. There were few portions were we had to carry the stroller up in arms but a comfortable hike overall. Nice weather but the trail was not crowded. Cold air from the caves was a good experience. Better carry a warm jacket even on warm days if you are planning to go near the caves. As always, it's advisable not to enter in or go on the snow fields. Entrance of some caves were about 12 ft tall and the interiors were dark endlessly. Great experience. On the way to the caves, the metal bridge will make you stop to watch the clear water flowing under it. Near the caves, we also saw some fall colors.

Paradise was quite busy on a gorgeous day like this past Sunday, but we got to enjoy some brief uninterrupted views of Rainier and surrounding scenery. We hiked it with 3 kiddos: a 7yr old, 4yr old and 2yr old. Going counter clockwise on the trail, the first .50mi was pretty rough on the kiddos because of the steep ascent up to a perfect little picnic area with great views. After that, it was easy and the kids enjoyed the rest of the loop. The wildflowers are mostly gone now but it's still gorgeous up there!

This was originally a lark. My plan was to go up to Sunrise and watch/photograph the sunrise and go home (my knees were still sore from my recent hikes and a run I had gone on with my National Guard unit).

Let me tell you, it gets really cold up there at 6400 ft at 5:45 in the morning! I was just glad that I had brought my 10 essentials with me, as I ended up using all of my extra clothing to stay warm!

I was so inspired by the Sunrise that I tooled around the Visitor Center (closed for the season) and saw that there was this short, 1.5 mi Nature Hike. So I started up, it was a pretty easy hike, and I was stopping every few feet to take pictures. The views were like nothing I've ever seen before. OK, I'd been to Sunrise once before, but it was a very short visit and I didn't have a chance to hike around.

I was maybe a half mile into it when I saw the sign saying Dege Peak trail 1.4 mi, and decided what the heck, why not? So I trundled along, knees complaining moderately and got to see fantastic view after fantastic view. Let me tell you, getting up to the top Dege Peak, AND discovering that I somehow had cell reception was the high point of my morning, as I began sending picture messages out to all of my friends and family! After an early lunch (9am), I headed back down. to finish the nature trail.

All told, it was the best 4.3 mile hike ever! I'm definitely planning on going back up there and checking out the other trails because I'm pretty sure they're awesome too :)

The Mount Pilchuk trail was very dry (no water source for dogs past the first 1/2 mile) and extremely crowded this Sunday. There were several spots near the summit where hikers were literally bottlenecked by the trail and you had to either wait in line or scramble around the trail on the granite boulders.

Lots of dogs and small children made it to the top, although I'd say the trail is probably a little too rocky for most dogs to enjoy.

Smoke in the air obscured the views...

In general, I'd say this is a an over-rated hike. It's nice, but not really nice enough to warrant the crowds. Also, because of the rocky nature of the trail, I feel that nearby Mt. Dickerman is actually an easy hike (despite longer distance and more elevation gain).

We did this hike with my 9 and 6 y/o boys. The first part of the hike wasn't very exciting for them...switchbacks up the side of the mountain for a while but then once we got higher, the views started opening up. Wow. I believe we heard some whistling marmots on the boulder fields so that was also pretty cool. No bugs on the trail, lots of dust. Once up at Lake Ann there were a few skeeters. There were TONS of tadpoles and itty bitty frogs around the edge of the lake (although it was more like a pond with all the dry weather we've had). The boys loved that :) Had a nice picnic lunch on a boulder that was a fine place to sit down and enjoy the breathtaking scenery. Thankfully those that had visited Lake Ann before us left so sign that they were ever there. Will be back someday to do the Maple Pass Loop (which was where all the other hikers we ran into, seemed to be going).

Spray Park was really cool. I decided that I wanted to do a very accesible and fun day hike. I've always enjoyed the NW corner of Mt. Rainier, but had never quite made it up to Mowich Lake, choosing instead the Carbon River entrance.

Let me say, describing the road as bumpy and long is a bit of an understatement. Not a bad drive, but drivers really need to respect the speed limit on this road and stop zipping around like crazy people.

The hike up to Spray Park is through a very scenic forest. The trail is rather photogenic. Do not under any circumstances bypass the Eagle Cliff viewpoint. It has outstanding views of Mr. Rainier. Likewise don't miss out on Spray Falls, its awesome.

When I got to the lower meadow of Spray Park, I was greeted by an awesome view of Mt. Rainier. Let me just say this. Mt. Rainier dominates the landscape here. It is amazing! Even this late in the season, there were still wildflowers and some of the plants were beginning to show their fall colors. Spray Park has a lot of side trails to explore, the ones I did, did not disappoint!

I continued on the main trail, saw some Marmots, took a ton of pictures, met some awesome fellow hikers and turned around somewhere roughly between Spray Park and Seattle Park.

While there were a ton of people up here at the time, there were many moments where it felt as if I had the trail (and mountain) totally to myself. A very accessible and scenic trip!

Perfect weather for some steep climbing with my puppy. Arrived at trailhead about 10:15 and only about 4 cars. Independence Lake is not too far, there was a Dad and 2 boys, 3rd grade and K camping. The older boy was fishing, said he had seen fish jumping, but not able to catch anything. After Independence Lk the trail gets much steeper, but mostly shady. Stopped for lunch at NOT North Lake, took off up a steep climb that was NOT the correct trail, then found the cairns and yellow paint. The views from the saddle are magnificent. Got part way down to North Lk, when the puppy sat down and refused to go any further. Saw more people on the way back, while chatting with a couple trying to figure out if they wanted to go all the way to North Lk, the puppy fell asleep! At NOT North Lk, there were 2 dads with 3 boys, all must have been younger than 8 and had made it up the steep trail, and planned to go further. Then further down the trail one more dad with a boy and girl, the boy still in diapers who was almost to NOT North Lk. Kids actually looked in better shape than dad!
This is a beautiful hike. And I loved seeing young kids (and there parents!) out hiking. It seems I usually see people about my age out on the trails (50's) so it's good to know the next generation is being trained up!

I was finally able to find this illusive trail in the Wild Sky Wilderness. This is a much easier and more pleasant way to get to scenic Eagle Lake compared to the standard steep scramble up from Barclay Lake. Harvey Manning apparently was angry that logging in the lower Eagle Creek basin made road access to Eagle Lake via the Fisherman's route too easy. Harvey therefore intentionally omitted directions to this trailhead.

Here are foolproof directions to the unmarked trailhead:
Travel Hwy2 1mi east of Skokomish and turn left on Beckler Rd(NF#65).
Mileges start at this intersection at Hwy 2 with #65. Reset your odometer here.
0.6mi, left on 6510
In a few hundred yards bear right at an unmarked fork
1.6mi, bear left on 6514 (split with 6510)
5.2mi, bear right on 6514 (split with 6516)
6.4mi, bear left at unmarked split (if you cross the bridge over Eagle Creek then you've gone 1/4 mi too far)
6.7mi, trailhead at hairpin turn.
There is a wide area to park at the hairpin turn.
The unmarked trail enters through the bushes at the apex of the hairpin turn.

The trail itself is in great condition. People have cleared logs recently. I brought some clipper to clear some brush but had only touchup work to do. The tread is in good shape and easy to follow. Paradise Meadow has some muddy areas that can be circumvented. This is a great trail for kids.

Eagle lake can be circumnavigated but the northeast side of the lake requires some bushwacking. I plan to tackle Mt Townsend next time I visit.

RT about 5mi
Trailhead elevation:3500ft
Lake elevation:3888ft.

Great huckleberries on northeast side of lake.
No bugs! Fall color just starting.

We arrived at Artist Point early and beat the crowds on the trail. The fire haze from Friday was nearly gone in most areas and completely gone from Baker.

There was a lenticular cloud crowning Shuksan, so we stopped to capture it with cameras.

The trail is good with some wet areas and ice fields, but it wasn't difficult to cross them.

This is one of the finest hikes in the region. That was obvious because we passed over 200 hikers on our return trip! There were foreign tourist groups, youth groups, senior hiker groups, backpacking groups, and more. I hike every week of the year and have done so for years, but I can't recall ever seeing this many hikers and dogs on a trail.

More photos below.

A nice walk with the kids, not as completely flat as expected but still very easy for them. We didn't see any wildlife, and were disappointed we didn't find the goats! The small parking lot was full by 11am when we left; most folks were there walking dogs. We saw one woman walking several dogs off leash, so be wary bringing a dog that may not play well with others (we left our grumpy senior dog at home). Some wonderful pink wildflowers in the meadow in the northwest corner, and lots of blackberries throughout! Some portions of the trail are nice and wide with small gravel, other sections are hard dirt (which I wonder how they do when the rain starts up), and some of the meadow trails are very narrow but very passable single file.

Wonderful hike for the family (me, wife and 2 boys, 11 and 13 yrs old). We left late on Saturday and got to Barclay Lake around 6pm. Most spots were taken but we still found a nice one past the lake overlooking the lush grass field (marsh?). The hike in was easy and flat, perfect for carrying heavy backpacks.

On Sunday we did a day hike to Eagle Lake, which tested us and our dog, especially the bolder field. A couple of hikers gave us excellent directions, and we in turn helped another couple find their way when they had gone too far up the bolder field. Beautiful day hike and I'm not sure I'd like to do it with a big pack on.

Next time we'll try to go Friday night and maybe bring a light pack for a Saturday overnight at Eagle Lake.

It was a gorgeous day for a hike in the Mt. Rainier Park area. We got to the trailhead around noon and after stopping briefly to appreciate the beauty of Mowich Lake we proceeded onto the trail. For the first half hour or so we didn't run into anyone else on the trail. The trail winds up and down over some streams (with what appeared to be freshly placed bridges) and through the forest for a good while. We stopped at the Eagle Cliff Viewpoint to take in some amazing views of the mountain then continued on our way. About an hour into the hike we came to the junction for the Spray Falls and were utterly astounded by the size of them. Definitely not something to miss on this hike. We steadily made our way up the series of switchbacks that lead up to the main area of Spray Park (pausing here and there to catch our breath). The trail description really holds true when it says your first steps into Spray Park are memorable. The weather was perfect around this time with the sun beating down on us but just enough breeze and cool air to keep us comfortable. Bugs were a bit of an issue around this area but nothing too unbearable. We spent another good 2 hours just walking around the Spray park area and checking out side trails. After plenty of pictures we made our way down returning to the car at around 5:45.

  Based on last trip report dated August 25 that stated that it could take up to 12 hours to hike the 13 miles to Big Heart Lake and back in one day I decided to camp overnight in the closest camp area to the West Fork Foss River and Lakes Trail #1064. I headed up the trail at 7:00 am on my #37th hike this year. There were 12 cars in the parking lot. The first 1.5 miles has a gain of 500 feet to Trout Lake. This is a quaint little lake where a lot of familes with small kids stop to fish for the day.
  This is pretty much the only part of this whole 13 mile roundtrip trail that has some smooth dirt on the trail in spots. Most of the rest is rocks and big boulders which will slow you down dramatically. After leaving Trout Lake the 2,000 foot climb to Lake Malachite for 2 miles begins through switchs backs in open meadows of Hucklberry Bushes. If you do not leave early you will be fighting the sun for a big portion of this 2,000 foot climb. Fall colors are arriving and the last of the summer flowers are dying out. You will see some great views of a massive waterfall draining from Copper and Lake Malachite. I could not find a place to take a good picture close up so I had to use my zoom on the camera.
  Once you cross over a bridge with no guard rails which is quite high above the water so be careful if you take small kids that far up you will be close to the "Y" in the trail that goes to Copper Lake or Lake Malachite.
Lake Malachite goes to the right which is Trail 1064.1 and quickly accends though boulders that become a scramble to the top. It only takes about 15 minutes to get to this lake but the views are well worth the effort. Suck in the spectacular view but don't take too long if you are attempting the whole 13 miles in one day. I think this would be a great place to camp if you are wanting to get away from everyone as I had this lake to myself.
  Leaving this lake you will back track to the main trail 1064 and head right up hill a little but gradually down a little to Copper Lake. Walk out on the long jam for some great pictures but I admit you will get better ones at the other end of the lake on the ridge trail going to Little Heart Lake. A warning that this trail is quite high above the lake and there are some tricky spots so definitley be careful with younger kids.
  As you walk around this lake you will be inspired by the views of the mountains reflecting in the lake. You will soon loose sight of this lake and head 1.5 miles up hill to Little Heart Lake which is quite small compared to all the other lakes but still a great sight to see. You will get there quite quickly and be loosing sight of this lake on your final 1.8 miles and 800 foot climb to Big Heart Lake. I hiked half way to the lake before deciding to turnaround. Some would say to me "Why would you do that your almost there?" but my back was hurting bad and the arches of my feet where telling me I needed new shoes with better arches and I was having cramps in my legs bad even though I had drank 3 liters of water with electrolytes. Safety always comes first to me especially since most of my hiking is done alone. I headed back downhill which took me 3 hours to get back compared with 5 1/2 hours to get to where I turned around.
 I consider the Alpine Lakes Wilderness to be my most favorite area to hike in so I know I will be back here again. I would recommed spending at least one night and camp at Copper Lake with a day hike to Little and Big Heart Lake as well as Lake Malachite. This was a good hike with spectacular views so if you get a chance checkout my videos of this hike or over 225 other hikes I have done in Washington State on my youtube channel at "lmm3181" or click on these direct links to this hike below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pagTz6rhmeg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNHrIfJa2EE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efHI1XJ4Smw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ8Z1pH72UI

As always get out and see this beautiful state and enjoy your hiking!
Take Care
Mike

I would rate this hike as a 2-3 in terms of difficulty. Most of the trail runs along spectacular views of lake Spada (def bring your camera). The trail itself is a flat/easy accent to the lower lake. From there its virtually impossible to continue unless you're down for some bush-whacking. The short side-trail to, and after, the lower lake is obscenely overgrown and populated with bear scratches. Accessability to the water at the lower lake is also nearly impossible due to overgrowth. We like backcountry fishing so this was a huge disappointment. If you're looking for a short easy hike with great views of Spada then get out there! If you're trying to hike/fish/camp the Greiders then I would have to recommend you pass on this until conditions change.

Had the day off and with the days getting shorter and colder I thought today would be the perfect day for a hike on Cougar Mountain. Wanted to see what Anti-Aircraft Peak was like, but didn't want to quickly get there from the parking lot. So decided to take Shagri La Trail to Protector Trail. From there connected to Tibbetts Marsh Trail, to then Cougar Pass. Strolled up Klondike Swamp Trail, and then finished on Lost beagle trail. Overall the trail was beautiful in the evening around 4. Clear paths with beautiful small growth and pretty easy for a beginner like me. Loved every second of it.

First Time On The Monte Cristo Trail Heading For The Town. My Cousin And His Wife And Son Took Me Along, Arrived At The Trail Head Between 8:30 & 9:00am. The Trail Was In Good Shape, A Lot Of Straight Sections, No Blow Downs. A Helicopter On The Trail That Was Going Back And Forth From The Town Delivering/Picking Up Surveying Equipment And Something About Water Samples. Very Cool Day To Be On The Trail. Bridge Is Still Down, But The Large Log Crossing Works Great. Looks Like A Great Hike For Bicyclists. The Town Was Super Cool! We Had A Picnic At The Town And Poked Around For Quite A While. Did Not Get Back To The Trail Head Until Around 4:00pm. A Long Day On The Trail And At The Town And It Was A Blast!

Cheers

We arrived around 10:00am. It was 34 degrees and very foggy. We didn't get very good views due to the fog. We had our 4 year old with us and he did great. The hike was easy for all of us and very enjoyable.
Once on the other side it started to clear up and we got some great pictures of the lake. It was cold so we didn't stop for too long. It took us a hour and 45 minutes and that was with frequent breaks because of our 4 year old.
I would recomend doing this but I would wait until later in the day so the fog dies off.

Hiked up this trail with two happy dogs in tow. Although its almost all uphill, with very few flat areas to rest, its not as such a steep incline as to make it very difficult. And the views at the top are well worth the hike. We went on a cloudy day, which was perfect so our long haired dogs wouldn't get too hot, and it was even misting at the top of the mountain when we got there. Tons of "friendly" chipmunks and douglas squirrels running around the top attempting to get food from people. Watch out though- they bite! (I didn't personally get bit, but you run the risk of it when trying to handfeed wildlife, not something I condone anyway). At the bottom of our hike, took the dogs for a swim in the lake, and then headed home. Great hike, with a decent amount of people on the trail but not too many as we started at 2:00 on purpose to miss the crowds. Definitely recommend this hike!

A beautiful morning for a hike to the falls. Even when we arrived about 10am the trailhead was already crowded (and even more so when we left at 1). Watch out for the devil's club which is sometimes right beside the trail. My son, who is not very well balanced and afraid of heights, had a panic attack on the last rocky decline to the falls, but we slowly worked our way down to enjoy an hour or so by the falls. A very popular spot!

Me and my best girl friend tried this hike to kill some time. I hiked this trail about 7 years ago and it seemed way tougher then. It's intimidating but fun for sure!! We saw an older gentleman heading down when we were first getting started and we figured if he could do it, we definately can!

What a beautiful hike. We walked to the waterfalls and back, which from the parking lot on the northside of the campground, is a 6.8 round trip hike.

We are not experienced hikers at all - all were wearing appropriate clothing but would probably choose more sturdy shoes next time, as we were all in running-type shoes, which was fine going up, but harder going down, as the incline is pretty steep in places. Ages of hikers, 48 (me), three 20 year olds (my daughter, her boyfriend and their friend), and my two sons who are 15½ and almost 13. The boys are fit athletes and no part of the hike was really a big deal to them :) The rest of us... the only part that was difficult was a middle section of switchbacks which was sandwiched in quite a long section of switchbacks, most of which were moderate and very doable - just a section in the middle that was tough for us rookies :) Next time (hopefully this weekend), knowing what is coming, as I began the moderate switchbacks after leaving the cedar grove area, I would pace myself better. We were just excited to be there, loved being together and enjoying the beauty, but we should have not tried to keep the original pace entering into that section. Overall, the hike was worth every bit of work :) The waterfalls were running, very peaceful. We plan to go the entire loop in the future, going beyond the waterfalls and down the other side. We did the hike from trailhead to waterfalls and back, stopping on the switchbacks to rest several times, ate lunch at the falls, in exactly 3 hours. Add in the walk to/from car and driving from the south hill to the trail, about 4 hours total. Very well worth it!

We arrived at the main parking lot around 11:30 and it was nearly empty. There appears to be a trail maintenance project going on at this trailhead but you can still access the main trail to the ice caves via a .25 mile paved trail from the main parking area to the picnic area.

From the picnic area, the 1 mile trail is a combination of boardwalk, gravel, and dirt as it crosses a marshy area and ascends through the woods to the base of Big Four Mountain. Once you reach the base of the mountain, the trail flattens and proceeds along the side of a hill to a small viewing area. From this trail there are several spurs down to the rock field and the ice caves. The temperature drops about 10 degrees near the ice caves so it is a nice place to picnic on a hot day.

From the rock field and ice caves you can observe waterfalls rushing down the face of Big Four Mountain. You can also view Stillaguamish Peak and Mount Dickerman to the north. You need to be careful if you decide to climb on or near the ice caves, especially on a warm day. We observed running water inside the caves and saw small amounts of ice falling from them.

Lovely hike with a well maintained trail. It should be said that the driving directions given are not very helpful. They are not specific enough given that few of the roads are well marked. There's a fork on Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road that is confusing--both directions appear to lead to Taylor River Road (not marked), but we ended up veering left at the fork, which ended up working out ok. The road to the trail is extremley bumpy with lots and lots of potholes--just make sure you have good shocks. Once we got to the trailhead the parking was fine. There were quite a few people there, but it didn't seem crowded. It should also be noted that the "bugs" mentioned aren't just any old bugs--they are bees. On the way up they followed us for a good mile, but then they eventually disappeared and left us alone for the rest of the hike. Also, there were lots of dogs offleash, which is really irresponsible (no matter how well behaved the dogs are) in my opinion. But all in all it was a really pretty hike that wasn't too steep. Great for novice hikers and families!

Made the mistake of trying this hike over a holiday weekend, and unfortunately it was super crowded- like going to the mall, only with less parking. We ended up being glad the parking near the trail head was full, because hikers trying to leave were experiencing some difficulty backing out with the steady stream of hikers and cars looking for parking. We found parking on the road outside Denny Creek campground.

Denny Creek is a fantastic family hike. The trail in is a steady incline, so depending on speed it's a good workout. My kids, ages 7 and 4, were able to handle it. There's a nice bridge crossing the creek early in the hike- keep little hikers from running ahead to it because there is an unguarded drop just to the right as you step on the bridge. Along the way you'll cross under I-90, which is surprisingly a trip highlight. This is the portion of road held near the tree tops by great, cylindrical columns. Continue up, up, up until you reach the natural water slide. The creek here runs long over the smooth, gently inclined rock face. There is plenty of room, which is a good thing, because there was quite a crowd present. You could enjoy the creek with your family for hours, in fact there was a multi-family cookout in progress while we were there.

Lake 22 is accessible from the Mountain Loop Highway just east of the Verlot visitor center. We arrived at around 11:30 and the parking lot was full so we parked in the Hemple Creek day use area just across the highway. A US Forest Service pass is required to park in either area.

The trail to the lake is in great shape at this time. It is a moderately steep trail but features stairs in some of the steeper areas. Near the lake there is a section of the trail that is mainly loose rock but it is hikable with proper footwear. There are also areas of water on the trail which can make the flat rock slippery, but again if you are wearing proper footwear, these areas should not pose a problem.

The trail around the lake is fully accessible and features spur trails to small areas of snow along the south side of the lake. From this area you can hear waterfalls cascading down the slopes of Mount Pilchuck. We also observed wildflowers and fish jumping out of the lake while we ate lunch on the lakeshore. There were a few bugs around but none seemed bothersome.

There appear to be ice caves forming along the south side of the lake. We saw several parties climbing to them and going inside. I have to say that this is very risky as I have seen similar caves collapse with little to no warning. Please be cautious if you decide to climb on the loose rock around the ice caves.

We haven't hiked this trail in awhile. We try to hike it at least once a year. It's one of our favorite hikes. The trail is well maintained. There is virtually no elevation gain and it's a short hike, making it very family friendly. We saw hikers of all ages and even some in strollers.

We picked Labor Day to hike this trail and we were certainly not alone. The trail was crowded as we expected. Despite the crowds, we really enjoyed our hike. We climbed the small hill across from the caves and sat on the rocks for over an hour just enjoying the views. Then we hiked a bit farther to see the caves furthest away from the trail.

To see more of our hike go to: http://1retromama.blogspot.[…]aves-723-mountain-loop.html

  I was late getting out today so I headed to a closer trail for my hike #35 which was Dock Butte and Blue Lake Trails. These two trails start at the same trailhead called Blue Lake at 3900 feet. You can get to them by taking Highway 20 which is The North Cascades Highway of Washington and turning north on Baker Lake Road. Drive 14 miles and turn left on Forest Road 12 heading west for about 7 miles veering left on Forest Road 1230 at the Blue Lake Trail Sign heading up hill to the end of the road where the trailhead begins. Use Green Trails Map "Hamilton 45" to see this trail.
  Dock Butte Trail is 1.5 miles to the top with a gain of about 1310 feet up to 5210 feet. Blue Lake Trail is .5 mile from the trailhead with minimal drop in elevation at 3500 feet. You will see the "Y" in the trail heading left to get to Blue Lake or straight ahead to Dock Butte. Blue Lake has some good size fish in the lake. It was so clear you could see them. If going to the lake take the trail to the left once you start to see the lake and walk to the far side where there are several clumps of trees next to the lake with big boulders around. This is the best area to fish and the depth just off these rocks is upwards of 20 feet and you can see the bottom its that clear. Keep young kids who can't swim close.
  Dock Butte Trail has numerous ups and downs until you get to the base where its up hill. There is a small scramble near the top so be careful of the loose rock. The views from the top are spectacular but let me give you a tip. If the weather reports calls for morning clouds and afternoon sun then wait to hike this trail until afternoon so you have a better chance of seeing Mount Baker without clouds around it. If you hike early morning there is a good chance of clouds and fog coming up from Baker and Shannon Lake which will hide your views. Dock Butte Trail is in the trees for about 3/4 of the trail then up hill in the sun to the top.
  Blue Lake Trail is in the trees for most of the hike. I saw some pretty big fish in the lake and there is some nice places to camp. Both of these trails are short so you can start later in the day and still make it out with plenty of day light if your hiking a day hike. These are good family hikes especially Blue Lake. Be careful with younger kids on Dock Butte and keep them at arms width when making your final accent to the top.
  Warning: Bear Hunting Season is August 1 until December 15 and there are lots of hunters in this area off trail so wear bright clothes and make yourself known. You will likely hear guns shots in the distance.
  Checkout the videos of this hike or checkout over 215 videos of other hikes I have done in Washington State on my youtube channel at "lmm3181" or click on these direct links to this hike.
http://youtu.be/BcBykK0FD0g
http://youtu.be/gozQZ-aMu9I

As always get out and see this beautiful state and enjoy your hiking!
Take Care
Mike

Went with my sister - started out for Talapus but decided to keep going to Olallie Lake. Along the way we met a very friendly chipmunk that came very close to us - looked like he wanted to climb our legs! Found little frogs near the lake bed and on then on the way back had a little fat mouse come to say hello. Tons of trees and a lot of shade kept the sun from baking us which made it rather enjoyable considering we were out and about around 1:30pm. Good sets of switchbacks kept us climbing rather steadily on up. Good time!

Beautiful hike, and great conditions. Trails were dry, it was fairly busy, but not overly so. Didn't go a minute without seeing another group of people (many with kids) on the trail. Lots of dogs on the trail, and I brought mine too. Definitely not an easy hike for a beginner, but still doable- and its worth the view! Bring enough water and a snack. Definitely a beautiful day hike that I would repeat. Recommended!

This was a fun and easy hike. I brought my four year old son and he did good. He was a little slow on some of the hills but he pushed passed it and enjoyed it. It went by pretty fast and we reached the falls before we knew it. It was nice to hang out by the river on some rocks for lunch time.
It is a fairly crowded hike so be prepared for lots of company.
I would recomend doing this hike if you have children and want to get out of the house as it is easy and pretty.

Decided late last night to take the kids (ages 2 and 7) hiking on Labor Day. This sounded like the perfect hike for them. I had originally planned for just the Tipsoo Lk-Naches Pk Lp but we ended up tacking on the mileage down to Dewey Lake and playing there for a while before heading back up to finish off the original loop. We totaled 6.5mi by the time we got back to the car.
There were quite a bit of people (and dogs) on the trail today. We didn't run into quite as many going to Dewey Lake and were able to find a section of beach all to ourselves to play in the water. But once we got back on the main loop, there were handfuls of people here and there enjoying the scenery.
This is a great hike to do with kids. It's not a difficult hike but not a boring one like some "easy", kid hikes can be.
The wildflowers are still out, though from previous pictures, it looks like they're going away a bit compared to what they were.

Weather was superb on this Labor Day weekend. The skies were clear with great views of Mt Rainier, Mt Stuart and the valleys.

It was warm, but pretty windy (could blow your hat off). A windbreaker shell could be useful if you feel uncomfortable with so much wind (not to insulate you from cold, because it was warm enough).

Unfortunately we didn't see any wildflowers on the top, they were all drying out.

We hiked with two kids aged 6 and 2. The older one had no problems hiking to the top, the youngster was carried in a Kelty FC 3.0. When you reach the top you want to watch the kids because the ridge is pretty narrow, the granite can be slippery, the wind blows hard, and the kids want to be heros.

I hiked this with the nine-year-old brother, parents, and everyone in between and we had no trouble reaching Norway Pass. This hike provides beautiful views of surrounding mountains and ends with an especially striking view of Spirit Lake at the base of Mt. St. Helens. The lake is still 1/3rd full of dead trees, stripped from the mountainside and surrounding area in the blast decades ago.

The hike is well-maintained and well-traveled (although it was far from crowded, especially for Labor Day weekend). The huckleberries are ripe and there are LOTS to be picked and enjoyed!

Also note that you do not need to travel down any dirt roads to reach this hike. This keeps the car nice and clean but be forewarned- the hike is very dusty/ashy. If it's been dry weather (as it has been recently) expect to not only be covered in it, but to be breathing it in.

Happy hiking!

Hadn't been on this trail for about 10 years and my has it changed with the 2010 wind storm. Some of the trees that fell down were giants. It is amazing all the work that they had to do to clear the way! Some parts of the trail were overgrown but you could still tell were to go. We were able to navigate our way to Slide Lake and back pretty easily. We camped at the lake and headed back the next morning with our 8 year old daughter, 10 year old boy and our dog.

Our main destination was Deer Lake since this was the first overnight trip for our 4 year old daughter. (Making it to Sand Lake was our back-up plan.) Neither Leech lake, where we started, or the trailhead itself was marked well so it took us a bit to figure out which road/trail we needed. But once we were on our way it took an hour and a half to reach the cutoff to Deer Lake where we stopped for lunch. It was not that busy and the lake seemed nice so we decided to camp there instead of pushing on to Sand Lake. We found a nice spot on the southwest side of the lake and we ended up being the only people at the lake for the evening, which really surprised us as it was a holiday weekend. Also absent were the bugs! The lake has good fishing and we caught several nice brook and rainbow trout.

As a side note, be careful around the lake, especially with small children and dogs. We picked up about 2 pounds of broken glass from the lake shore. In areas popular to fishing we found several hooks and quite a bit of fishing line that people had left behind. After wandering around our camp we found where people had left old tin cans and other junk. Our packs were heavier going out than in, because of all the garbage we found. Also, there was lots of horse poop on the trail. This is to be expected as there is a horse camp there, but we still had to be careful where we walked because of the large amount we encountered.

Overall this was a good easy hike. Small children can do this with ease. We did not make it to Sand Lake, but were just as happy with this small gem of a lake.

With a nice day in the forecast, we decided to hike from the Sunrise Visitors center to the Mount Fremont Lookout. It was a wonderful day, wonderful hike, filled with flowers in bloom and wildlife on the trail. The hike itself was not very difficult. The gradual sloop of the trail made it easy to manage. Many other hikers of all ages were out on the trail with us and there were plenty of Park Rangers and volunteers to provide help and information. It was a very enjoyable hike, with the mountain playing peek-a-boo in the clouds on the way up to the lookout. As we ate our lunch there at the lookout, the clouds blew away and the mountain showed herself in all her spender and beauty. It was a Great day for a hike.

What an awesome hike. We started out on the main trail to Wallace Lake, but was interrupted by a rude hiker complaining about our dogs. So we detoured up the DNR trail to avoid her and ended up on the bike trail ride up the back roads. It was a long gradual hike and lots of sun! We came to the top and headed toward the Falls. We actually ended up doing a full loop and going down from the top past all three falls areas. It turned out to be a 13 mile hike. Having the main attraction at the end of that hike was awesome.
The dogs were wore out. So were we! The weather could not have been better and the sun went down just after we finished.
Other than the stupid leash laws, we had a blast. Our dogs are never on leash during hikes. they have more fun and we are not in danger of injury when taking on tough terrain. Having your dog on leash is foolish and dangerous for both of you. If your dog is not ready to follow the rules of hiking then they should not yet be there. We had 4 dogs today that all stayed on trail and behaved well with others. Not every dog is a bad dog needing a leash. Kids are just as foolish, destructive and dangerous. So please, dont even mention it to us when we are there.
Happy trails!

Trail was in great shape, no mosquitos to speak of, saw no other hikers. The old homestead was amazing, hard to believe the white house was abandoned...It appeared fairly modern, park ranger house at one time perhaps?

This hike was just like described in other posts. The trail is well maintained with one completely new bridge and other recent bridge work. Although it was a holiday weekend, we encountered only 4 other people on the trail. We only had trouble at the beginning finding the first bridge to begin the hike. IF you drive into the camping area and use the parking area immediately on the left before the group picnic shelter, walk up that road about 50 yards past the picnic shelter to begin the hike at the marked spot, where you can register your party in the box. DO got clockwise. The forst 1.7 miles is UP hill. My 10 year old complained. After that it is easy downhill. We saw 2 small dogs on leashes with others.

We stay in some cabins by the boat campground for a couple of weeks and Labor Day weekend every year. I have been up and down the trail 5 or six times in the past looking for geocaches and for just enjoying the hike as it is not usually a busy area. Since the bridge washed out I haven't been to it. The creek was down far enough to rock hop across with creek with my wife, son (9), and a couple of in-laws. The trail was nice enough in the loop across the creek. The lookout platform is still there and in good condition. The beginning of the trail up the hill is not bad either. For the first half mile the trail goes up and down and when it goes up, it's pretty steep, same for down. It was very dry and dusty this time of year as well. Not a big deal, we just got a good workout. Around the 1/2 mile point (from the lookout platform) the trail just drops off six feet down. You're left with a steep rock slope that you have to shimmy across, grab a root and lower yourself back to the trail. At about the 3/4 mark the trail is washed out about two feet in length and we had to jump-step across. When we got across from the island we found our geocache destination and went no further. My sister-in-law did not want to hike back so we called for a boat pick up from the father-in-law and played in the water until he came. I would not recommend this trail for anyone but experienced hikers despite the fact that there is virtually no net elevation gain. This trail should be rated a 4 or 4.5 trail at this time. I will not be bringing anyone up this trail again unless it gets repaired.

It was a beautiful day and the trail was in very good shape. A few things to consider: the Forest Service road to this trail is not well marked- there are 2 "Y's" in the road which are not clearly marked. At the first "Y" take the right road and at the 2nd "Y" there are 3 choices- take the middle dirt road. When you reach the end of the road don't be tempted to drive the final half a mile up the rough road to the trail head. Finally there is no signage at the trail head and you could walk past it- when the rough road make a hard right the Trail Head is just to the left- across from a cleared parking area.

This was a short and sweet hike. It took less than 40 minutes to get to the falls and that was with two children. One child 6 and one child 4. The kids did great and we saw many other kids on the hike. Parking was a little crowded. We arrived around 10:30am and parking was tight.
Great hike for kids and hanging out at the Falls was fun. I would recomend this hike for kids as it is very easy and short.
Or if you just want to get a quick hike in and short on time this is a great one to do as it goes by very quickly.

We took the PCT to the CWBasin spur trail. The spur trail is in great shape except for a number of large downed trees. There are just a few snow remnants near the tarn at the head of the basin (at the foot of Red Mtn).

Returned via the Old PCT trail - someone or some group has done a lot of work keeping this trail in very good condition. Especially impressive was the new (to us) bridge over the most difficult water crossing. We've never seen so many people on this trail - even families backpacking with kids.

Perfect day - moderate temperatures, blue skies, and absolutely no (biting) bugs!

This was an unexpected hike for us (myself , daughter and two dogs). We were camping at the Deer Creek campsite at trail head 4052. We ventured up the road to see what was at the top, and found this beautiful trail head.

Along the drive up the road was rocky and narrow, which enabled us to enjoy the beautiful views and scenery along the way. An unexpected adventure for sure!

We packed our way through the trail that was only 1/4 mile and slightly up hill along the naturally paved walkway to a beautiful lake that time seemed to have forgotten.

This hike is a great one for anyone who wants to get into hiking and is just starting. It will fuel the fire for sure!

They are not kidding when they say to expect company. Check out my blog and look at the pictures...if you were one of the hundreds of people there that day, maybe your even in one of them!
http://kellbell-whywouldany[…]nt-pilchuck-and-masses.html

I was worried about the availability of camping sites at the lake considering Labor Day weekend, but was able to get a great site despite arriving around 4pm on Saturday and there were still a number of other good sites available.

Fly fishing was active on a dry fly (elk hair caddis).

Lake level is low, and don't rely on any other water sources along the way, the river is dry in most places.

Make sure you have a forest pass or pay for a day pass for the trail head.

On a somber note two Sheriff's deputies hiked past the lake apparently to the location of someone who passed away. A number of campers noted a helicopter the evening flying overhead and again the next morning. Someone who hiked part of the way with the deputies said it was not a base jumper, while at the trail head forest rangers said they heard a story that there was a base jumper that crashed into the trees.

Beautiful day! Our goal was Observation Rock, but we got slowed down by route finding on the scramble over knapsack pass. We left Mowich lake on the well established trail which we thought would take us up to the pass, then at some fork went right when we probably should have gone left, and ended up accidentally climbing a nice 6400' peak with great views, including a flock of 8 goats in the meadow below. We still are disputing the identity of our summit. The trail lead us over the peak and down a ridge, then ended at the edge of a steep gully. We scrambled down the gully and found another trail which led us over a pass into spray park. We followed the trail ever higher, over a few snowfields, up to 7000' before deciding to turn around and follow the trail through the flower meadows of spray park and back to the car.

Very few bugs. We found ripe blueberries on the ridge. One of the kids said "These dont taste like regular blueberries, just like deliciousness.
Stopped on the way down to view Spray Falls, which is worth the short detour.

   A great weekend of weather forecasted so I headed out a 5:00am on Hike #34 this year at The Heather-Maple Pass Loop Trail which is located along Highway 20 at The Rainy Lake Trailhead (North Cascades Scenic Highway Rainy Pass Picnic Area Sign). This trail is about a 7.2 mile loop and is recommended by most people to hike in a counter clockwise direction and I would have to agree with that.
   A note to future hikers that the counter clockwise trail begins right behind the wooden sign at the northend of the parking lot. You will see two signs one for Rainy Lake Trail and one for Heather-Maple Pass Loop Trail. You can also hike this trail clockwise by heading down the Rainy Lake Trail for about 1/4 mile and then you will see a hike going up hill. This is the start of the clockwise trail to Maple Pass.
   You can walk the blacktop wheelchair accessible trail out to Rainy Lake which is a beautiful lake to checkout. I have taken my wife out to Rainy Lake since she can no longer hike and needs a wheelchair if she has to travel very far. If you choose to hike to Rainy Lake just a reminder that you will have to return on the same trail to go up hill to Maple Pass.
 I got to the trailhead at 7:30am with total cloud cover which worried me at first. I saw a good bit of sun on the way up Highway 20 from Burlington and Interstate 5 so I waited about 1/2 hour and saw no improvement. After seeing several hikers heading out right away after getting to the trailhead I said the heck with it and decided to start climbing and boy was I glad I did. The sun started breaking through as I crossed over several boulder fields along side of Ann Lake. I stopped to take my first video of Ann Lake and was passed by several hikers who got a rude awakening as a black bear crossed the trail and headed downhill to the lake. It would seem that it was more spooked then the hikers though.
   This trail starts out for the first mile in the trees until you get to some boulder fields where the trees become more sparse and you get your first view of Ann Lake down below. Once you make it to Heather Pass you can take a boot trail out to Lewis Lake but if you hike on uphill you can get some pictures of the lake by walking out a couple of side trails to get a good view down on the lake without having to hike the hour or so it takes to get out there and back to the main trail. You can camp on the meadow which is at the start of the boot trail out to Lewis Lake. Just a reminder that there is no camping within 1/4 mile of any lake or pass.
   Just up above Heather Pass you will see the sign stating that you are now entering into North Cascades National Park (North Unit) and no hunting allowed. Be aware that bear hunting season runs August to December so please wear bright clothes and make noise. We have had several hikers killed in Washington State by hunters who seem to want to shoot before they know what it is they are shooting at. Wearing bright orange is your best defense.
   I spent about two hours at Maple Pass talking to several groups of hikers and taking pictures of them. A special hello to the couple from Pennsylvania who have spent the last nine days hiking in the Olympics and North Cascades. Glad you enjoyed yourself. I have a great picture of the two of you if you would like me to send it. Just drop me a comment on the trail report. Hope you come visit Washington State again and hike in the most spectacular place in the lower 48 states.
   I finally headed downhill on the east side which is said by many to not be that interesting but I disagree. I found great views of Ann Lake and meadows full of flowers as well as some views of Rainy Lake and several waterfalls. It definitely is out in the sun for a big section of the east side so if its hot out the day you hike have plenty of water since it is limited on this side as well as a hat and sun screen. I did not have any problems with bugs. This year has been great I have not had many problems with bugs on any of my 34 hikes. The last mile of this hike on the east side is also in the trees and you finally connect with The Rainly Lake Trail. Remember to turn left for the parking lot at this intersection if hiking in the counterclock wise direction or right if you want to go visit Rainy Lake which is not more than a half of a mile from here. Checkout the videos of this hike or over 215 other videos of hikes I have done in Washington State on my youtube channel at "lmm3181" or click on these direct links.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVw1CtXerz8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1ybudFxzeI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHp_xxjFPNo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBbM4q0tLtQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pI0sQZf3rw

As always get out and see this beautiful state and enjoy your hiking!
Take Care
Mike

Man, Wife, Dog and 7 month old baby headed up to Independence Lake for two-nighter over holiday weekend. Camped at Southern side of lake, near outflow and logjam.

- Barely any bugs.
- Trail in excellent condition.
- Crowds were completely manageable.

Three groups camped at Independence Lake on Saturday
Two groups camped on ridge top on Saturday
One group camped at North Lake on Saturday

Two groups camped at Independence Lake on Sunday.
No groups on ridge top.
One group camped at North Lake on Sunday.

Thanks to previous WTA trip reports for helping us identify tricky sections of the trail close to ridge top.

Small gripes... Wads of toilet paper and human waste on outskirts of both campgrounds on Independence Lake. Small scraps of trash scattered about campsite (picked those up). Creepy plastic bag full of dead fish dangling into lake from log at logjam. Freeeeky!

We were camping at Soda Springs in the Gifford-Pinchot N.F. where this trail leads into the William O. Douglas Wilderness Area and a network of trails leading to various lakes and locations. FSR 45 leading up from Hwy 12 is rough in places but is passable to all cars. There is a smashed log right before entering the campground that is quite a speed bump.

My friend, his son and I left late Saturday morning and set out on the Cowlitz #44 Trail that enters the wilderness area yards from the road. Our intent was to hike to Jug Lake but we should have looked at the map at the trail head again as the signs at the junction to Jug Lake are a bit confusing. The Cowlitz trail becomes horse friendly a mile or so up and there was plenty of evidence of them along the trail so be prepared to share the trail. However, on this day our group did not see another hiker or rider all day. The trail is gentle for the most part gaining altitude slowly while crossing a few creeks that are easy to get over right now. Once you come to the first junction to trail #43 on the left you climb some long mean switch-backs to gain the ridge where some lakes are located. After the switch-backs the trail levels off and goes back to a gentle roll for a bit. The next junction is where we made our mistake and ended up at Frying Pan Lake further up the trail.

There is a Judkin Junction #47 Trail and Jug Lake is down this trail although a #43 Trail sign feet away would appear to want you to keep going to the right to reach Jug Lake. The right leads another mile plus up the trail to Frying Pan Lake, be prepared for another set of switch-backs but not as hard as the first set. Eventually Frying Pan Lake appeared behind the trees on the right. The lake was fairly shallow but had some deep spots. Lots of grass was growing in the water and the wind was light making for reflections of the trees on the water. A quiet and serene place to visit for sure. We spent about a hour at the lake before refilling our water for the trek back to camp. While the trail was clear and easy to navigate right now the added mileage took its toll on everyone. It was an early night for all of us but a great day on the trail, even with the lake mix-up.

Lovely hike. Took the lower route along the river and the trail was in great condition with lots of interesting tree fungi along the way. Happy to report it was not buggy at all. Occasional bear evidence, so kept the dog close. Great multi-generational family hike.

Lovely hike, with the berry bush leaves beginning to turn red and orange. We found many huckleberries and heading up to the top of Mount Sawyer there were tons of blueberries. The view were amazing. Took my young kids and they had no troubles with the trail except the beginning of the side trail up to Sawyer because the dirt which has turned to dust is a bit slippery.

This is the rolling plateau just north of White Pass. Lots of lakes and lots of trails. In the wrong season, so do hordes of mosquitoes but I am thrilled to report that we had NO MOSQUITOES or other bothersome insects this beautiful Labor Day weekend. And postcard perfect weather the whole time, too. Berries were disappointing, found very few ripe ones though lots of bushes.
This was a 3 night backpack loop with three kids, ages 9, 9, and 5. Day 1: Started around 5:30 pm at Leech Lake trailhead at White Pass, north up the PCT about 2 miles to Deer Lake. Decent camps there, and a beautiful meadow on the other side of the PCT for moon gazing. Day 2: In the morning headed another 5 miles up the PCT to Pipe Lake. Some nice vistas and very pretty lakes along the way. Lots of small campsites, too. We camped on the little wooded promontory that sticks into Pipe Lake. Nice camp, and a very pretty lake; cliffs into the lake were a little nerve wracking with kids. Probably the best camp around Pipe Lake is actually three minutes further up the trail, on the next small lake, a grassy south facing site close to the trail with nice beachy water access. It was already occupied, however.
Day 3 we did the 4.5 mile RT, 1,100 foot gain day hike to Tumac Mountain, a cinder cone that sticks up about 600 feet above the surrounding plateau and gives fantastic 360 views, saw Mt. Stuart, Mt. Rainier, Adams, St. Helens, and lakes and forests below. The hike there is a mix of forest, meadows, and dramatic views back towards Mt. Rainier. Kids had a great time chasing tadpoles at a tiny pond on the way back.
Day 4: Hiked out via Dummbell and Cramer Lake to Dog Lake. Very pretty meadow just before Cramer Lake, with good lunch logs and an unmarked trail that heads east to Cramer and probably beyond. No obvious trail access to Cramer Lake once you leave that meadow intersection.
The last 4.9 miles from Cramer Lake to Dog Lake just flew by. One adult got a ride from some other hikers back to our car 2 miles and 600 back up the road.
All in all this was a perfect kid backpack - nice lakes, easy hiking, good day hiking, and NO bugs. Total distance including the Tumac day hike was 19.3 miles and 1900 feet elevation gain. Without the dayhike the loop alone would have been about 13 miles and 1300 very easy feet of gain. Saw plenty of other people including at least 5 PCT thru hikers.

I took my 7 year old daughter on our 3rd annual backpacking trip into the Wenatchee wilderness near Mount Rainier. We started off in 70 degrees with partly cloudy skies into fields of blooming colorful wildflowers and huge scenery of mountain peaks, forests, and lakes. Since we were coming in from Chinook pass we didn't see Mount Rainier until the next morning when we hiked around Dewey Lake. From there we sat on a white sandy beach with crystal-clear mega-views of Mount Rainier. But that's not what impressed my daughter. For her, it was all about the animal tracks and her field guide, which she used to identify some wolf and elk tracks and skats. We proceeded to follow them when they ended at the water's edge. The mosquitoes were pretty bad near our tent site.

Since the weather was so warm we decided to go for a swim! Well, I did anyway, as she waded around near me. The trip was full of excitement and while we were sad some of our friends couldn't join us, we decided this would be the place to bring them next year. We ended up leaving late in the day, and didn't get to a place with cellular service until around 7pm when I realized my wife was very worried about us!

Hike thru Hell----Snowgrass Trail to bypass and to Nannie Goat Ridge. Extremely dusty, usual campsite was also unusually dusty and increasingly crowded on Saturday. Fellow hiker had major sinus reaction on 2nd day, hiked out 2 days early of a planned 4 day hike. Dozens, hundreds even, of hikers, dogs and horses kept arriving. In 30 years of visits we never saw such use and increased abuse. Forest Service needs to get thia area on a serious permit basis. Avoid this place until rains arrive, you will be thankful for this warning. Best yet write letters advocating a permit syste.

Started a little after 1pm and was initially concerned that I wouldn't make it down before sunset, but was able to get up quick enough (about 2:15 ascent, 1:45 descent) that I made it back before 7pm.

Note to users of the privy: there is a functioning lock; please use it. I accidentally walked in on a dude stooping over the john, and he was quite annoyed that I walked through the door without signaling. Sorry, I'm not clairvoyant.

Like others have said, the trail is in good condition with just a couple muddy spots that are easy to negotiate around. Lots of stepping over large rocks throughout this hike; you will feel it in your quads.

I brought nearly 5 liters of water as I was worried about no good water source, but I was wrong. At about 4,000 feet, the "ponds" are still plenty full and--as long as you filter it--would be a good source of water.

My favorite part of the hike is past halfway, when it opens up from the tree cover and you walk through meadows with incredible views and some nice wind. It was 70 degrees today, not bad at all.

Another can't-miss scene on this hike is the avalanche field. Starting from the bottom when you see the first blowdowns, look up and you should see nearly a mile-high, two-football-fields-wide area of barren mountain. This must have been an incredible avalanche. Props to the WTA crews for some serious work here to clear a path for the trail.

The lookout at the top was locked, as I had expected. The views at the foot of the lookout are still incredible. In my opinion, better than Mt. Si, Mailbox, and Pilchuck.

We (my dad and my 5 year old daughter) hiked a section of this trail from the trailhead to about 0.5 miles past Maple Creek Camp. A total distance of about 5 miles round trip. It was a beautiful day for a hike and we saw only 2 other people on the trail. We had lunch down by the river and dipped our feet in. Looking up from our lunch spot we could see the road towering above us and though on the map it looks close we could not hear it at any point on the trail.

After completing the hike we drove up to the box canyon overlook. The view was impressive of this deep narrow canyon. Would like to hike this section the trail some time. We could also see Mt St Helen's from the bridge.