Mount Washington

Start by following the signs for the John Wayne Trail and Twin Falls at the south end of the parking lot near the bathroom structure. This short spur trail climbs immediately south, then west before merging with a gravel logging road in a few hundred yards. Stay right at the junction, continuing to climb uphill for another tenth of a mile, and stay right at the next junction with the John Wayne Pioneer Trail/Iron Horse Trail — another wide gravel logging road. In just a few hundred feet, turn left (south) onto the second trail into the forest, 0.3 mile from the parking lot trailhead, marked by a small rock cairn (sometimes just a pile of rocks). This is the start of the Mount Washington Trail.

The trail climbs steeply to the southwest before easing to a moderate grade over rocky terrain and crossing several small creeks. While mostly switch-backing through an old-growth forest of pines and sheer rock faces, the trail opens for occasional views to the North, revealing just how quickly it’s ascended from the parking lot.

Less than a mile from the trailhead, hikers pass the base of a small cave-turned-climbing wall, with several anchors speckling the inverted hang of its upper reaches. Continue climbing and veer right on the main path when the trail reaches its first official marker — a hand-carved wooden sign that reads “MT WA” (and a few other destinations). 

About 1.6 miles from the trailhead, a small clearing oft-referred to as “Owl Hike Spot” offers the first westward views, allowing a brief photo-op of Rattlesnake Ledge. Previous trail guides often stopped at this point, but superior views are enjoyed farther along. Continue climbing and stay right at the junction with the Great Wall Trail at two miles, revealing the first views of the summit.

The trail eases, exiting the dense cover of forest as it approaches a small marsh and turns sharply east toward another unmarked trail junction. Again, stay left, following the main path east as it navigates long switchbacks and bursts into an alpine meadow decorated with scree slopes, boulders and spring wildflowers at about the 3-mile mark. Very shortly after this unmarked junction, there will be a second junction where you'll turn right. Both junctions used to have wooden signs, but most recently, they weren't readable.

After turning right, you'll almost immediately walk through a wooden gate indicating the boundary between public land and the Cedar River Watershed, the water supply for the city of Seattle. Respect the watershed by staying on the trail here and practicing Leave No Trace, as you round a southwest-facing slope and make the final push to the summit of Mount Washington.

From the top, take in views of the peaks surrounding you, but be sure to look down at Chester Morse Lake and Masonry Pool. It's amazing to realize that these two lakes are what help keep the megalopolis of Puget Sound hydrated.