The road to the trail head is very nice. Any vehicle should have no trouble getting there. There are multiple trails from the trail head. You can do a 7 mile RT hike to the lookout or 14 if your feeling spunky :) The blueberries are out in full force. The trail is in great shape. There is a make shift bridge to cross in the boulder field. The mud was worse the higher you go. There was just a light dusting of snow in some places. The lookout was GREAT! The views amazing. Mount Baker so big it seems as if you could touch it. A helicopter flew really close overhead as I was leaving the lookout. I could see them wave they were so close. On the way down about 1.5 miles from the trail head there are lots of blueberries and sure enough a black bear came running across the trail about 20 feet in front of me. First time I have seen one so close. The fall colors are beautiful right now. Go soon to see them. This hike is a must do!

Here's a line I feared I'd have to write, even before I left home: "Wildflowers are done, but the fall colours haven't arrived yet." Well, it turned out to be true. But it really didn't matter. This is a beautiful hike! This trail is free of snow and in fine condition. There were some berries in the meadow...not tons, but you take what you can get. The flowers were done and gone, and only a few leaves had slight tinges of red. But the views of Baker and the surrounding peaks were jaw dropping. I'd love to go back in a few weeks to catch the full blaze of fall colours. I may even head back this year. On my way back down, I weas planning on returning via the Scott Paul trail, but the nifty suspension bridge was out. Rather than scout around upstream for a good crossing, I decided to turn around and head back the way I came. This was hike 17 of my 30/300/30000 @ 30 challenge. 1. Deception Pass 2. Wallace Falls 3. Spencer Island 4. E. Fork Foss River 5. Lake Serene 6. Wallace Falls 7. Goat Lake (N. Cascades) 8. Boulder River 9. Third Beach to Toleak Point (Overnight) 10. Big Quilcene/Marmot Pass (Overnight) 11. Lake 22 12. N. Fork Skokomish (Overnight) 13. Welcome Pass/HIgh Divide 14. Golden Lakes/Sunset Park 15. Glacier Basin 16. Sunrise Area Trails 17. Park Butte So far: 17 Hikes, 156.7 Miles, 33900' Elevation Gain

First time hiking up to Park Butte and loved it! Although it was very crowded all up and down the trail (there were probably +100 cars at the parking lot), the scenery was priceless. On a gorgeous day like today, Mount Baker was out in all its glory. The trail is currently practically snow-free. There were quite a few areas that still had wildflowers in bloom and the berries are ripe. Trail was in great shape--probably the best groomed and maintained trail I've been on all summer. The only downfall was the bugs at the lower elevations, but aside from that that the conditions up there were perfect. If you haven't come up here yet, now is the time to come before the winter season sets in. Would love to come again before then for an overnight.

Chippie and her friend Jess accompanied me on this trip to Park Butte and Railroad Grade. Neither of us had much energy so this seemed like a good choice. There were about a zillion cars at the trailhead and everyone seemed to have a dog. I hadn't done this trip for a long time and it seems like there's been work on it since. The trail is a freeway with lots of steps, and the old crossing below the grade is no more since the creek rerouted itself. There is a new crossing a short way up the trail from there and there's a plywood bridge in place that is sufficient, but looks to be easily removed. There were berries in Schriber Meadows......more than I've seen anywhere this year, but that's not saying much. They were delicious though and we chowed down coming and going. The lookout is in great shape as ever and we had lunch on a knoll below it watching the hoards of people climbing the trail. We then decided to pay a visit to the tarn and meadows that lie on the bench below the lookout and threw snowballs at Jess. Then, on to Railroad Grade. There were many tents in the campsites that lie right off the trail. Not my idea of getting away from it all. The glacier seems to have receded since I was last here about ten years ago. Is that possible? The scenery was very beautiful and we avoided the weather that was coming in, although it was very hot and muggy all day. There were small biting flies that dive bombed our faces throughout lunch time, but weren't so annoying while we hiked. Shouldn't these bugs be gone by now? Also, lots of wildflowers just below the moraine.......lupine, valerian, yellow things. The fragrance was intoxicating!