Larches! They're in full golden splendor right now, and Goat Peak is a perfect place to experience them. For a sunny autumn Saturday during "Larch Madness", I was amazed that this trail wasn't completely mobbed. Perhaps the long, bumpy road to the trailhead deterred some folks. Potholes weren't too bad, but make sure your car has good shocks because the bumpiness is extreme. Our Toyota Highlander handled it just fine. The parking lot was nearly full (around 20 cars) and we snagged one of the last spots. (For comparison, we saw dozens of cars overflowing the parking lot and lining the highway near Blue Lake trailhead and other popular larch areas in North Cascades NP.)
The first 2/3 of the trail is solid uphill, but once you reach the ridgetop the path levels out for the remaining 1/3 of the way to the lookout tower. It was steep but manageable for our group of 4 adults and 2 kids (7-year-old hiking, 2-year-old in carrier). The trail was in great shape and overall pretty wide, with lots of places to step aside side and let others pass. Even though it was a Saturday and the trail was busy, it never felt crowded. We had fun meeting hikers of all ages and also enjoyed moments of solitude on the trail.
We started seeing larches about halfway to the lookout. They became increasingly frequent as we ascended to the ridgetop. Some sections of the trail passed through entire groves of larches. At the lookout, you're treated to a panoramic view of the forests below. The pockets of golden larches really pop against the dark green of the other trees.
The lookout tower is closed, but don't forget to walk around to the back. There's a nice bench where you can catch your breath and enjoy the spectacular scenery below.
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