Evergreen Mountain Lookout — Saturday, Jun. 29, 2019

Getting there: I will also say the trailhead location is accurate; GPS took us straight to the trailhead without issue. Once you reach the 4 way (not 5 way) intersection, take the first right. There is a sign here that says “Evergreen Lookout”. The road does become narrower and rockier with decent overgrowth. Shortly up the road there is a Y, stay left. You can see the gate to the right from this intersection, so obviously don’t go that way. I don’t see what the fuss over the road is about. It’s your typical gravel forest service road with a few potholes. I guess this may be a shock to city folk; this isn’t I-5. If you made a smart vehicle choice and drive sensibly, you’ll be fine.

The hike: Brutal. 1000 feet of elevation gain per mile is no joke. From the trailhead, there is no relent until you reach the top. It is a narrow trail, not a logging road at any point. There is one small snowfield to cross before you reach the lookout. We came up for sunset and left the trailhead around 7:30. We only passed one individual on the way down. The views are phenomenal and make the leg burn worth it. The descent is quick. We headed down right after sunset and didn’t need our headlamps until the bottom.