I arrived to the trailhead around noon on a partly cloudy Wednesday. The parking lot was mostly full but there were still several spots open.
This was a quirky hike. First, about a mile in, I heard a growl off the trail. I made lots of noise and took my bear spray out but never saw anything. Second, a tree fell near the trail about 50 feet from me. Third, all the signs for this hike list mileage to the top, adding up to 3.1 miles one way, but WTA indicates it's 5 miles round trip because it directs you to follow the steeper, but shorter, cable line trail. If you follow the West Tiger 3 signs, it is 6.2 miles round trip.
I am a slow hiker, and it took me about 2 hours to reach the top. It was freezing up there, and a cold wind chill as well. I made it back to the car at 3:20. Of the 6 dogs I saw, only 1 was leashed. No trash on the trail. This was a great hike- enough people to know someone would be nearby eventually but enough space to have peace and enjoy nature with fall colors. Other than the growl, the only animals I saw were lots of different birds, squirrels, and banana slugs. The parking lot was mostly empty at 3:20.
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