Got to the trailhead at 5:45 a.m., and was the first car there. Beautiful day - sunny and warm. Luckily had a Discover Pass from last fall that was still good! Trail is in good shape, no major issues to report, besides some small areas that will maybe need to be repaired next season because of erosion. There are also a few sections where people have taken their own routes (and others have followed), which has created more boot wear than necessary - perhaps some additional trail marking would help stop this. The trail is very pretty - I was honestly not expecting much, but the middle section that skirts the towering rock cliffs is beautiful. The trail starts somewhat steeply, levels out for awhile, then ascends somewhat steeply at the end, which is a nice setup. The views at the top are also very nice; most reviews and photos tout the views toward the highway/North Bend, but I actually liked the views on the opposite side of the summit even better. There are many nice rocky ledges to sit and enjoy. The early morning is the best overall time for photos from the summit. I'm young but out of shape, and I made it to the top in around an hour, including some photo-taking and exploring of side trails. After a rest at the top, I was back at the parking lot around 40 minutes later. I only passed two small groups on the way back, and noticed one group of climbers off the main trail. Once I was almost back at the parking lot, I went by four or five groups who were just starting, and the small lot was maybe half full. Overall, one of the nicer short hikes I've done within 30 minutes of Seattle. Highly recommended. I'll probably be back next year to try out the Boulder Garden Loop!

Got to the trailhead at around 7:30 am. There were a few cars in the lot, but it wasn't too busy - maybe 1/3 full. First section is steep-ish, but pretty short. You can still hear the freeway for the first 10 minutes or so. Met two small groups of hikers coming down. Middle section of the trail leveled out to create a very pleasant walk on a well-maintained trail, with impressive-looking trees and foliage. The trail was hard to find in a few places, mostly when it crossed wide patches of cleared ground, but I took my best guess at the direction and was able to find it again pretty quickly. Last section of the trail is a bit of a climb! I'm a newbie hiker, so I had to stop and rest pretty frequently. Probably not the easiest hike to do if you have young children, but by myself I made it just fine. The view from the summit, looking out over the valley, is absolutely lovely, and well worth the climb! I imagine it would be even better in spring or fall, when the trees don't block so much of the view. Overall, it took me about an hour and fifteen minutes to get up, and a bit less than an hour to get back down. I met a lot of hikers coming up as I came back down, and the parking lot was pretty much full. (10:00 am). Loved the hike, and will be doing it again in the future!

Arrived at trailhead around 7:15 am. Trail was damp but not muddy after recent rains. Some cloud cover at the start but the sun was out and there were only a few clouds across the valley when I reached the top. Very few hikers on the trail until the last mile on the way back. I had the top to myself for my entire 15 minute stay. Parking lot was almost full when I got back to the trailhead. Several hikers with dogs - most on leash but some not. All dogs were well behaved.

Started up this trail at around 9:00am. There were a ready a few families (with children and pets) coming down when I started hiking. The trail is very well laid out, fairly dry with the exception of a few muddy areas. Overall, this was a simple and enjoyable hike with a great view. I would suggest hiking early because there is very limited parking. When I left the trail at 11:15am, both lots were full and there were a few people waiting for parking spots.