Plan on walking to the trailhead from somewhere down Tiger Mt Rd SE as there are maybe 2 spots not plastered with 'no parking' and/or 'vehicle will be towed' signs on the roadside and at the gated entrance.

We walked up Road 1000 for about 2 miles, exploring a few spur trails and eventually backtracked to the concrete bridge, which is where you head down to the creek and Middle Tiger Trail starts. We decided on making a clockwise loop so we headed off onto Hobart-Middle Tiger RR after 0.1 mile. This is an easy grade with lots of tree cover, moss, fungi, soft damp tread and the sound of water is a common companion. At 1.6 miles at the turnoff to TMT, you can walk down into Fifteen Mile Creek, which at this point isn't more than a foot deep. Heading to TMT, there is a map posted. On this connector trail there's a downed log with ribbons along it which you must walk up 40 feet to get back onto the trail. The intersection with TMT is nondescript, but head right to Middle Tiger and Millan's Crossing. The return down to complete the loop on Middle Tiger Trail is quite overgrown with ferns which release their spores all over and long salmonberry vines which make using poles helpful, but also cumbersome as they get tangled. Near the end of this 4ish mile loop we ran into the first 2 people we had seen in 5+ miles - they were doing counterclockwise.

Headed back toward the road and decided to do the Grand Canyon of Fifteen Mile Creek Trail - how could you not want to after reading that name. It's a short interpretive trail which has signs talking about coal mining and valley formation process. Saw 2 people on this trail so probably 7 total over 9.5 miles. Great distancing hike!

Eight Peaks of Tiger Mountain
After a great week of hiking, my dad and I took several days to rest up for a big challenge. We celebrated Father's Day by Hiking Eight Peaks on Tiger Mountain.  Starting at 7 AM from the parking area just outside the Tiger Mountain entrance gate off SE 79th St (Highpoint Exit), we hiked twenty-six miles of mostly radio/cell tower service and logging roads gaining 6729' elevation change in 87-degree heat, returning triumphant 12 hours later.
So proud of my Popsie!      

I hit many trails today.  Found an empty parking lot (High Point Trailhead) very early and hit the trail a bit before 5:30 AM.

Went east via the TMT, Lingering Trail, and Dwight's Way.  Then turned south on the Lower Bootleg Trail which is not signed at either the N or S ends.  I missed it at first and had to go back.  Lower Bootleg is quite overgrown and I got pretty wet (I'd stay that way until mid-afternoon).

From there I continued south on the Middle Bootleg Trail and then the Paw Print Connector.  It was at the Paw Print "Rest Stop" where I saw my first humans (group of 3).

From there I caught the 15 Mile RR grade for a short time before turning south on the TMT.  At Hal's Cove I took the short downhill connector trail to the Hobart Middle Tiger RR Grade.  The north end of this trail is very overgrown and it made sure I wouldn't dry out.  It could be easy for less experienced hikers to get lost there. The south end of this trail appears to have had maintened pretty recently.

I then took the Middle Tiger Trail NE to reconnect with the TMT looping back to the north. Just before Custer's Bridge I saw my second humans (group of 2). I'd gone about 11.5 miles by that point and had seen just 5 people! I stopped at the bridge for 30 minutes and ate lunch.

From there I reconnected with the 15 Mile RR Grade trail going west. This trail is extremly overgrown. In many places the (thorny) plants were as tall as I was. I worried I'd get lost or hurt. I couldn't even see the ground to look out for trip hazards. Eventually I made it to the Hidden Forest Trail where I turned north. Heading up this trail was just as bad. It is very overgrown and steep. I saw my third humans (group of 2) headed down hill. They weren't wearing pants and were getting scratched up by the thorns.

Once I hit Larry's Crossing I continued north on the much cleaner Poo Top Trail all the way up to West Summit #1. I saw human #8 on this section. I passed by the antenna installation and went down hill to the NE on the West Tiger #1 trail which was fine.

I took a left to Fred's Corner and continued on the newer by-pass trail all the way up to Tom's Crossing where I'd encounter human #9. Why do I point out how many people I saw? I'm just trying to note that there is solitude to be had on Tiger Mountain if you get off the "main" trails.

I kept west on the TMT, crossed over the West Tiger #3 trail, and then took the Seattle View Trail downhill to connect up with the West Tiger RR Grade Trail. I saw humans 10 and 11 here and then 12-14 on the trail up to Poo Poo Point. Once I get there I stopped counting because the point was covered up.

This was actually my very first time up there. Great views. Lots of parasailers (is that the right term?) and gawkers. I'd gone 18.5 miles by that point and took the opportunity (meaning the bench) to have a snack and change into dry socks and remove the very wet lower half of my hiking pants.  The sun was out and I was actually kind of dry for the first time all day!

From there I headed back down the Poo Poo Point Trail (nice long straight trail I was able to pretty much run down) all the way to Tradition Plateau. I'd never been in that area before but really liked it. I meandered along various flat trails logging easy miles. There were actually very few people. I hit the Adventure Trail, Brink Trail, Swamp, Big Tree, Wetlands, and Bus Trails. There is actually a section of Swamp Trail that is closed but I went anyway not understanding the closure until it was too late. There is a sign that just says "Seasonal Closure Oct 15-Apr 15" which I took to mean it was open. It's not. It was a slimy dirty overgrown boardwalk that was busted it lots of places. At the other end it's very clearly closed and I had to climb through the fence to get out.  Oops!

Then as I was on the Bus Trail headed back to the car I passed the Nook Trail intersection. I looked at my map and my watch and thought, "why not get a couple more miles?" So I turned south on the Nook and powered up 600 ft or so to the intersection with the Talus Rocks Trail. Cool area that I'll want to bring my boys back to. The rock loop has lots of little places to explore. Kinda reminded me of The Goonies.

By that time my phone (and my GPS tracker app) were running on fumes (<5% battery) and since I really wanted to save the track I pretty much ran the rest of the way along the Talus Rock Trail and back down the West Tiger #3 Trail to the car. Got there right around 6:30 PM with about 2% battery left. Funny when I got back to the parking lot it was mostly empty (just like when I started this morning).

Got pretty much no pictures because I was trying to preserve battery all day (also kept mostly in airplane mode except when I sent a couple status/location messages to my wife when I had service). But I am adding a picture of my route at least. I cross referenced my GPS tracker w/ my Green Trails map on distance and they actually agree to within 0.1 of a mile!

Final stats: 28 miles, 7000 ft of elevation gain, about 13 hours on trail, best mile 14:14, worst mile 29:38.

Time for a shower beer.