Pro-tip - don't attempt to make it a loop and come down Sasse mountain trail like we did. It doesn't connect to Hex Mountain Trail even if Gaia/Alltrails say otherwise
We were itching to get out after spending most of the month at home, and wanted to take a trail which was was far enough that it wouldn't be crowded, but near enough for a day trip, and we settled on Hex Mountain.
Parking on the trailhead is very limited (maybe 12-15 cars), and there aren't a lot of opportunities to park on the shoulder of Salmon Lasac road either, so I would recommend getting here early. The first mile, until we got to the actual trail is on many unmarked forest service roads, and was glad to have a GPS, as even with the directions on the descriptions, it was easy to take the wrong trail.
Once we reached the main Hex Mountain trail, it climbed steadily up along the ridge with expansive views of Cle Elum lake that opened up the further we climbed. The forest-fires of the recent past have thinned out the tree cover and we didn't get substantial shade until 1/2 mile before the junction with Sasse Mountain trail. Here, we got into the cool undergrowth and see colorful wildflower displays in early summertime. We pushed to the summit a short distance away, where we get 360 views of the surrounding snow-capped Cascades and its dry eastern slopes.
We decided to head down Sasse Mountain Trail as Gaia indicated a trail that connected back to Hex Mountain trail, and we could make it a loop. When we got to the junction however, we didn't see any such trail; either the trail was overgrown, or someone just decided to make a stray line on the topo map. We headed down further, and found a place where we could bushwack to cross Newport creek and join a fire road that connected back to the trailhead. It took a while, but would have been hard without a GPS
Overall, it's a great early season hike, with amazing wildflower displays that's worth a visit on a sunny day
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