The rhodies are blooming! However, they are about a week or two short of peak (depending on elevation and exposure). The views were excellent from both the north and south viewpoints (north viewpoint is mostly Olympics - Constance northward - and Mt. Baker/Shuksan; south viewpoint is Seattle, Rainier, and Dabob Bay). Trail is in fine condition (worst problem is one deadfall that a six-year-old could probably step over). The trail is on the short-and-steep side, but not excessively, and not at all rocky or rooty - the old Mailbox trail it definitely isn't. The road is now open to cars, but there weren't many of them. We walked the road on the way back; already some paintbrush and even columbine in bloom here and there on the roadside. At one point, Glacier Peak is visible above trees, completing the volcano trifecta (albeit in installments). Just a very few bugs; no mosquitoes noted.

Took Thursday off work and got out to the peninsula for the first time. In doing so, my dog and I enjoyed a quiet, yet pretty challenging, hike on this well-maintained trail. At the top, the weather was pretty chilly with some sprinkles and lots of cloud cover, but the very friendly birds and the decent views made it all worth while.

An awesome, awesome trail that we discovered only an hour or so before hiking it. Park near the gate, still closed for the season, and walk about a quarter mile to the trailhead. The trail starts to climb almost from the start and never really lets up. It's is a beautiful trail, clear and very well maintained. You reach the north lookout first but don't even be tempted to turn back here. Keep going! The reward of this unrelenting upward slog will be found at the South lookout, where you will be treated with views of Mt. Rainier and the Seattle skyline off in the distance.

My husband and I decided to do Mount Walker as a last hurrah after backpacking the Olympics over the weekend. Wanted one last short hike before catching the ferry home :) Nice trail going up, very well maintained. Lots of rhodies but they weren't blooming yet. View at the top is wonderful. Good quick hike, not crowded, and a great workout too. The signs at the top say that if you walk the road you can get a view of the south side, which would make the way down 2.5 miles. Well, we misunderstood and decided to walk the road the WHOLE way down (which is closed to vehicles for the winter). The road alone is 4.5 miles. Oops! So our quick 4-miler turned into a 7-miler. I guess the signs meant that you to walk a quarter mile to the south lookout and then take the same trail down. ;) Nonetheless, the way down on the road was pretty fun and makes for an entertaining loop. Kind of weird walking on a deserted forest road for that long (feels like the Waking Dead)! Some mud slides and fallen trees but nothing serious for traveling on foot. Would make for a great bike ride! Great hike for early season- no snow to worry about!

Beautiful, sunny evening on Mount Walker! Trail is in great shape, no obstacles. Road to the top is still closed, so very few people up there. Bugs are starting to come out but not too bad yet.