This trail made for a great work out with an excellent veiw. It was steep, but all worth it once you hit the top, and even throughout the switchbacks. We were warned not to eat our snack at the north veiw point because if the birds. They are not affraid to grab your food. I would suggest hitting both the North and South Veiwpoints.

Hike with my dog last weekend. Trail was clear the whole way up with one patch of snow at the top. The weather was good the for the hike although cloudy when looking down from the top. Steady incline the entire time a good day hike took about 3 hours round trip with frequent stops and 30 min at the top (went at a leisurely pace). The directions were spot on.

The road that leads to the trailhead is closed, but I just parked at the gate & walked a short distance up the road to the actual trailhead. I, four of my friends, and the dog I was watching for the day hiked this trail since it was only a 4mile round trip hike and wanted something short. We didn't take into consideration that the hike elevated by 2000 feet...so it was a lot tougher than we realized. We all really enjoyed the hike overall, but it is pretty steep the whole way up. I took multiple breaks to catch my breath and give the dog water. The trail was dry for most of the hike until about the last 1/4 of it, which had some snow and ice, but it was all very easy to walk over with regular hiking boots. Once we got to the top, the view was beautiful and we could see the Olympic mountain range, and could even see Mount Baker! There was a flock of gray jays that flew up to the railing, and were eating out of our hands! The dog and I had with me today did great on the trail up and down, and we passed 4 other dogs, so very dog-friendly! Surprisingly, on our way down, we saw a family with 2 small children trekking up, so I guess it's kid-friendly as well, though I personally wouldn't recommend bringing a child.

I got to the trailhead at 9am. I was the only person there and made the hike up alone. About 2/3 of the way to the top, there was some snow & ice. I didn't have my YakTrax, but I had minimal issues. Even with the slight added challenge, I still made it up in under an hour. The view was crystal clear!! I went to the south viewpoint and then decided to take the access road back down so that I could run without slipping on the ice. The snow on the access road was about 12" deep at parts & running in that wasn't quite as easy as I anticipated.

In search of some snow, incredible views and a challenging first hike for my dog Graham, I set off for Mount Walker in Olympic National Forest. Climbing 2,000 feet in 2 miles, grades up to 25% lead to amazing views of Rainier and the Seattle skyline with a few surprises thrown in on the clearest of days (like today!). Graham was very enthusiastic all day and is in much better shape than I am. He pulled me all the way up and would get impatient with me when I took too long of a break. The trail gets quite steep and slippery the more you head up the mountain. We were looking for snow and once we hit it, the trail got a lot more interesting. When your reach the summit, your thighs will be burning but the views are worth the effort. The trail finishes at the north viewpoint, featuring views of the Olympics, Mt. Baker, Mt. Shuksan and even into British Columbia on a day like today. From the north viewpoint, you’ll walk along the service road leading to the south viewpoint. From this viewpoint, you’ll see Seattle, the Cascades and all three south peaks (Rainier, Adams and St. Helens). I couldn’t believe the visibility today. St. Helens and Adams are over 120 miles away as the bird flies. Speaking of the birds, there were quite a few fluttering around – much to Graham’s bemusement. Looking back to Seattle – I’m reminded it’s time to get moving again and head home. To get back to your car, it’s either back to the steep trail or walk the much less-graded forest road down. We took the trail because it was faster and the shadows were growing ever longer. Some people hike up with skis and then ski down the road. That would be pretty great, I admit. I’ve come up here many times via motorcycle (Mount Walker is the only peak facing Puget Sound with a road to the summit) but when the road is closed, you have to work for these views.