Our group of eight senior hikers did a lollipop loop hike in Squak Mtn. State Park. We headed up the Bullitt Fireplace Trail to the junction with the East Side Trail. Sections of the BFT has water running down it since there are no cross drains. Once on the East Side Trail it was smooth going to the junction with the Old Griz Trail. All the creeks are running water under the several bridges we crossed. The Old Griz Trail is now open with the many fallen trees logged out, and bottom start of this trail rebuilt. The November 2024 cyclone windstorm did a lot of damage to this trail, and it was a lot of work to get it reopened. We continued on the East Side Trail to where there is a new viewpoint where there is a jumble of fallen conifer trees that were logged out. We could see down to the City of Issaquah, and the high school football field and track. On a clear day you can see to Mt. Pilchuck, Three Fingers and Whitehorse. Someone had installed small bench at this location.
We then back tracked to the Old Griz Trail and headed up it. While hiking up this trail we could see all of the storm damage done in this area of Squak Mtn. Many conifer trees were blown down, and it is something to see in person as photos cannot show it all. When we got to the junction with Phil's Creek Trail, we saw that the old wooden trail signs on a wood post had been ripped off and are now gone. They had been there for many years. Further up the trail we saw more storm damage and parts of the trail is relocated to get by huge root wads. Before getting to the junction with the Central Peak Trail we found some fallen trees for a lunch time bench. While eating a lone hiker came by, we saw only one other hiker all day.
After lunch we headed down the Central Peak Trail that is on an old roadbed, steep in places. Along the way we stopped and checked out the old land yacht that is parked off the trail. This car has been there for many years. We then got back down to the East Side Trail to finish the loop part of our trip. Then back down the Bullitt Fireplace Trail to where we parked.
Makes for a nice loop hike between rainstorms. We did not see any wildlife on our trek. Trails are in pretty good shape, some need some brushing out.
Keep on hikin', George
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