It's a great time to hike Poo Poo Point.  The trail is pretty dry except for a little bit at the bottom.  We missed the sunset at the point by 20-30 minutes, but we still got a beautiful pre-dusk glow, and Tahoma was spectacular.  I have one bit of advice: it seems there are two trails near the top, one steeper.  To take the more gradual trail, stay left at the fork near the top (far beyond the stone steps) on the way up and stay right on the way back.  The steeper shorter trail is probably what the trip description is referring to in this part:

"Farther along, impatient hikers have, over the years, cut some of the corners. To minimize erosion please try to follow the official trail."

Trail was in great condition. There were a significant number of trees down from the storm last month on the mountain, and a report from a few days prior warned that a few still blocked the path. When we hiked today, all trees had been cleared from the path (huge thank you to the crew out there working today to make that happen!). There was no snow or ice, and only a few areas with mud that were easy to get by.

The weather was cold but the continuous incline kept us toasty warm. The top views were clear, albeit a little smoggy. Rainier looked beautiful at the south launch point, and we got to see several paragliders launch from the north launch point. The picnic table was a nice spot for lunch but we didn’t stay long since the breeze quickly cooled us off. Most of the trail was through the forest, so not a ton of sun exposure and also blocked from the wind. Could hear the road for the first 1/3 of the hike but then gets quiet and peaceful.

One disappointing thing: we saw a lot of poop bags left on the side of trails. PLEASE CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELVES.

We were slower than most (two seniors, one adult, one infant), so consider these the high end estimate for trail times:

Start: 12pm
Summit: 2:30pm
Descend: 3pm
Finish: 4:30pm

Given it was a Thursday day hike, the parking lot had plenty of spaces. No pass required.

I arrived at the parking area around 3:30 and it was about half full. I only passed a handful of other people on my way up for sunset. The first half of the trail is in good condition; the rocks are dry and not slippery even with recent freezing temperatures. There is some mud higher up and a couple of downed trees that need to be climbed over/around.

Sunset was beautiful with views of alpenglow on Rainier. There were a couple of other photographers at the lower viewpoint when I was there. Enjoyed the color in the sky on my way down and only needed my headlamp for the last half. I passed two people headed up in the dark, and the parking lot still had a few cars when I left.

Bottom Line:

Mild and sunny hike to a southwest sunset perch with incredible views towards Rainier and the south sound. Lower Chirico is as magical as ever, seemingly a magical cobblestone forest path for the first mile or so. The upper trail to the two paragliding launch points (west, and southwest) has a LOT of storm damage - down trees and debris. A little sad for me. Some mud. Pretty smoggy views, but that made the color pop at sunset. The layers mountains and trees to the southwest are especially beautiful at sunset. 

Stats:

• Distance: ~4-1/2 miles
• Vertical: ~1800 ft
• Duration 2-1/4 hours
• Road/Parking: Plenty of parking at the Chirico Trail parking lot off Issaquah-Hobart Rd at ~3pm; very slow traffic through Issaquah; no Discover Pass required; (portable) toilets; no gate, so no deadline to return to car after sunset and indeed, folks were heading up after dark
• Weather: Sunny, 40Fs, no wind, smog in the lowlands with a mild temperature inversion; it rapidly cooled off at the top after sunset! The start at ~3:30pm is perfect for sunset right now.
• Trail: The trail is in fairly good condition. There are some down trees blocking the trail, but all are straightforward to get around. There are also areas of mud; mud and frosty spots (esp. grass) can be slippery. Came down in the dark, but the glowing horizon and light-colored stone path on lower Chirico made a headlamp optional. Good winter sunset perch, although the sun will set on the lower trail (in the shadow of Squak mountain across the valley) much earlier, so it can be a chilly return. Views from Rainier to the south, to Bellevue, Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula to the west.
• Takeaway: The lower trail remains one of the most enchanting around, with really no storm damage. The upper trail has effectively been thinned, but that did make for stunning light on the descent :) Another trail I would like to try with snow if winter ever kicks back into gear!

Arrived around 7:45am on a sunny winter Sunday and the parking lot was full.  This is quite the popular hike, saw lots of hikers from casual hikers, lots of kids, hikers in full gear and endless dogs on the trail.  The trail itself is great / clear, the only minor obstacle barely worth mentioning - one very large tree that has fallen on the path, but there it is possible to walk on the side of it (or you can just hop over it like we did).  Views at the top are incredible, especially when you can catch a sunny winter day like we did.