Warm day. Privy clean, well stocked with TP. On this sunny June30 Monday, the upper lot was almost full when we arrived at 8:40 am. On return, it seemed that the overflow out the road hadn't gotten too bad, maybe 8 cars.

There still remained some pink rhody blossoms to admire, and a variety of colors of smaller scattered flowers -- yellow, orange, purple, white ... There was sun in all directions, but a lot of haze. Baker, Glacier Peak, Rainier and the Sound weren't sharp but were very visible. With binoculars, St. Helens was faintly there, but not Hood, not Adams. Mountains past Vancouver were distant but impressive through the binoculars.   

Sitting on an inviting rock on top, I found I was colonized by at least a hundred very small, nonbiting ants -- I'd swipe off a bunch, and after a while more emerged from clothes to arms, swipe again ...  Another hiker at a nearby rock had the same experience.

Even without the perfect distant visibility, a marvelous time on one of the very special viewpoints in the state. We were among about 20 people up top, well spread out and relaxed, a happy vibe. 

Great day on the mountain till we ran into a dirt biker on the way back. We encountered him on the Townsend trail (839) as we were returning to the Little Quilcene trailhead. The section we were at was narrow and in some places exposed; dry gravel made it slippery. He zoomed past a family with kids, nearly knocked my friends and I over; other hikers were behind us—you can imagine how many people were on the trail given the great weather. And for minutes after the refreshing air was polluted with dirt-bike exhaust. Motorized vehicles are prohibited on this trail and the Little Quilcene (835). If anyone took photos of this guy, I encourage you to post them in a trip report, notify the Hood Canal Ranger District, take any appropriate action to get this person reported and the scofflaw behavior stopped.

I planned this hike but still somehow missed I’d be climbing a mountain. Did I think I mess up both the mileage and elevation gain? Yes. Did I think I was going to die about halfway up? Also yes. Did I make it to the top of this dang mountain though? Heck yes I did! We started the hike at 6:30AM so there were only a couple other folks out, we also started from the lower trail. It was a misty gorgeous hike. Lots of wildflowers, we saw deer, we did see a bear but only on the drive in not on the trail. When we reached the summit there was a patch of blue sky but mostly clouds so you could t see too much, it was still gorgeous though. There and back took us 6 hours because I had to stop a lot on the way up, it is VERY strenuous but if my out of shape 45 year old body can do it I have faith in anyone. Well worth the trip.

I arrived at the trailhead around 6 am with no other cars in the parking lot. Rhododendrons are in bloom along the first portion of the trail. The sign for the Mount Townsend and Silver Lakes split is there, just on a tree over head height way off the trailhead. Two downed trees were across the trail - one before the trail split and another on the backside of the ridge heading down toward Silver Lakes. On the way out, there were 10 people who were on their way up.

The parking lot was empty just after 6 am at the trailhead. Rhododendrons were in bloom for the first part of the trail. There were two downed trees along the trail - one before the Silver Lakes/Mt Townsend split and one just as you start descending the ridge to Silver Lakes. The trail sign for the split of the two trails is there, just way off the trail on a tree several feet above your head. passed a total of 10 people on the way down. About 6 hours total time to hit both the top of Mount Townsend and to make it down to Silver Lake and back.