This is a wonderful trail, the lower parts of which pass through miles of lush second growth forest with some massive old growth mixed in. I only hiked the first 1,700 feet of elevation gain because I had hiked the entire Green Mountain trail the day before, but I wish I had focused on the Sulphur Mountain trail first because the forest was so peaceful and beautiful. Also, the black flies were terrible on the Green Mountain trail, but non-existent on the Sulphur Mountain trail. For a description of the purportedly spectacular views from the upper portion of this trail, please see Craig Romano's description in his excellent book, Dayhiking the North Cascades.
There were a few trees down across the trail, but only a couple were hard to get around, and those are in the beginning. The trail is steep, but the tread is in good shape, and the trail rewards slow hiking. The entire portion I hiked was in shade. The undergrowth is verdant but generally low in height, allowing you to see several hundred feet on either side of the trail. The trail snakes quite a bit, and it feels as if you are continually discovering new views as you round each bend. Also, the Suiattle River is gently audible in the background for the lower portion of the hike, adding to the ambiance.
In over four hours of hiking, I saw only one other person. I plan return to complete this hike as soon as possible.
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