Great day hike and fantastic views. The drive from Seattle is long, and you have to pay to enter the park. I would leave as early as possible to avoid the crowds and to easily find a parking spot in the lot at Sunrise. The park is closing the road to Sunrise in a week or two, but there is still time to get in a last minute hike up in that area.
The trail is easy to navigate with good signage at intersections. There was some snow and mud in places but it was not hard to navigate. The trails were busy but not crowded. The scree sections can be challenging if you sprain ankles easily, but careful foot placement is easy (poles or micro spikes were not needed). There were several groups of people leaving the trail in the alpine meadows which is not allowed and is very damaging. Please stay on the marked and designated trails at all times!!
The lookout (and the entire trail) has awesome views of Rainier and the surrounding mountains. Mt. Baker and Glacier were both visible. The lookout is closed for the season, but there are lots of rock outcroppings to sit on for a break. Including stops and lunch, the round trip took under 5 hours hiking at an easy pace.
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