Got to the trailhead at around 12pm and started our way up. The trail is quite exposed with very little shade the entire way, so would recommend bringing plenty of water and a hat/sun shirts, etc. 

This is a high reward hike for not a ton of effort (sure there are plenty of switchbacks in the first 1.5 miles but it’s totally doable. 

The road does have a ton of pot holes in some areas. Near the trailhead, the road does have a very deep hole which we think was formed by a creek. Someone for some reason blocked the most easily passable area (it was a jeep which totally could have crossed) which prevented others from coming up.

all in all, a lovely day with plenty of wildflowers to admire.  

Rating:  5 of 5 stars!
My opinions:  This is a great hike!  Wildflowers were wonderful—especially at the top, mainly tiger lilies and pretty white flowers.  At the beginning, there were just a few wildflowers in bloom, but there were enough to get some pretty color, especially purple flock.  I have been with acres of wildflowers in bloom, but I missed this abundant bloom.  However, this is still a wonderful hike on a sunny day. 
There are a lot of people doing this hike!  Very crowded on a Friday, but still worth going!
The hike is moderate, probably for beginners who are in decent shape, with incredible views from the parking lot and all the way up!  I think there are better views here than Mt Pilchuck, but this hike is much easier.  Most of the elevation gain is at the beginning, so once you get to what it looks like is the top, there is still more to go, but the elevation gain is much easier.
I highly recommend hiking poles—especially for the switch-back turns and on the snow.
Sauk Mountain is a longer drive from the Seattle area, but worth the drive!  You can also combine this hike with Baker Hot Springs, to get the most out of your trip north (but the road has a lot of very bad pot-holes).
Parking & Road Conditions: The road has lots of pot-holes, but if you go slowly, they aren’t horrible.  I’d suggest an SUV.  I got there at about 11 am and got the last “real” parking spot. 
Snow:  Some at the top.  I did not put on Yak-tracks, but I used poles to help us.
Trail & trail conditions:  Great.  A little muddy & snowy at the top.  Watch for loose rocks.
Bugs:  Yes, but not horrible.  I swatted a few flies.
Time:  4 hours for one 66-year-old, which included a 30-minute rest at the top.  I took lots and lots of photos of and panoramic views of many mountains.
Views:  Incredible mountain views!  Beautiful river and valley views from the trail. 
Flowers:  Tiger lilies, Small white flowers, and lots of lavender Flock.
Misc:  Although the shortcuts are very tempting, please do not use them.  If you use the short-cuts, you increase the chances for erosion. 

Be prepared for switchbacks! But the views at the top make it so worth the effort. The buzz of bees was ever present in the wildflowers along the trail, but luckily nothing was biting or stinging up there. The road was in fairly good condition but just be aware that it is also steep, skinny, and there are potholes and ruts in some places. Don't take your fancy cars up there if you're worried about dings and dust.

I cannot speak more highly of the views. this might be one of my favorite hikes in Washington! From the switchbacks you see a glorious sprawl of the Skagit and Sauk river valleys, the towns of Concrete and Sedro-Wooly in the backgrounds. At the top, you are treated to a 360° view of the Cascades, with Baker and the Twin Sisters in sharp relief, and even Rainier peaking out at you from the south. We sat at the top for about 30 minutes just taking it in, and hearing the whistle of the marmots nearby. Highly highly recommend!

The road is no worse than it’s been for the past five years. Take it slow and I’m sure just about anybody can make it to the trailhead. However, I was sad to see how much the trail has eroded over the years. I started early enough that there were very few hikers on the way up, but there were a lot when I was coming down. I told five different groups to please stay on the trail rather than cause erosion by cutting across. Most of them looked at me like they didn’t care. That was disappointing. But I still enjoyed my day. The views were amazing. Take it easy across the snowfield and you’ll be fine. I was glad I had my poles with me.

Hiked the Sauk Mountain trail yesterday, and it's one of the finest trails in the region.  So glad it's already available this early in the season.  The road has some potholes, but I've seen a lot worse (though the last short stretch of about 1,000 feet of road distance is very rough and rugged).  We made it to the parking lot in a Honda CRV without difficulty.  At about 10AM on a Tuesday morning we got the last spot, so expect a jam on a sunny weekend.  One vehicle did park at the bottom of the last short bit of road, thus avoiding that last rough bit of road and possibly having to turn around from a jammed parking lot.  The views are SPECTACULAR (even though there were some clouds in the sky) and the wildflowers are already wonderful -- very varied and profuse.  There were lots of humming insects, but they seemed more interested in making music than in biting us.  Expect some stretches of snow near the very top.  We had brought microspikes and put them on when we reached the first snow and were glad we did.  Others managed without them, but if you have them do bring them and use them.  Poles were also useful, not just on the snow, but also at other points along the trail, which is sometimes narrow and near a possibly risky edge.  Though both Baker and Rainier were obscured by distant clouds, we didn't miss them because what we could see was so spectacular.