I've done this hike a handful of times in the past but never gone this far. Usually we end up at Lost Lake and head back. But we kept going on the East Lost Lake Trail to a nice lookout overlooking Lake Samish. From the lookout we hiked down a service road for just a bit and then banked right on an unmarked trail. Shortly after that there was a sign...‘Entering State Park’. Shortly after that we ended up at Checkpoint J. From there we went right back to the Rock Trail. Ended up being a nice 6+ miler. Kids 8 to 13 did it just fine. There are some steep sections after Lost Lake on it's way up to the lookout over Samish and it is overgrown just a tiny bit but totally manageable. Great wooded hike with some nice lookouts.

Cleator Road to the Cyrus Gates Overlook is finally open again! But it looks as if not many know that because our car was the first one to the parking lot at 9 am. We descended the Rock Trail and then walked the South Lost Lake Trail and up the Double Diamond to make a pleasant loop from the Overlook. The Double Diamond is a hiker/biker trail, so exercise caution while walking up it. We saw only two mountain bikers on the whole loop. Nice to get out on a perfect autumn day.

Contrary to what Google maps indicated, the Cyrus Gates Overlook parking lot is open, including the restrooms.  I failed to read the driving directions carefully enough and thus challenged my Honda Fit to navigate the 3.5 miles of gravel (and very dusty dirt) road.  Thank goodness the potholes were negligible.  Because of the lingering wild fire smoke, there was no view from the parking lot, but perhaps that helped keep the usage low.  

Looking at the stairs before going down made me question my judgement a bit, but they were less daunting coming back up than expected.  I'm short but WTA did an excellent job of making them just the right height and spacing which really made a difference.  If my count was right, there were only 174 anyway.

The rock walls were majestic, the trail was in excellent condition and we only saw 3 people total so it felt like having the place to ourselves.  This was my first time in Larrabee State Park.  Next time I'd love to plan a longer hike that combines this with others.

Started on the Fragrance Lake trail at 7:15. Pro tip-apparently the parking lot for the Lost Lake trailhead doesn't open until 8 AM so if you get there early to avoid the crowds, you will have to park on Chuckanut Drive. The Fragrance Lake trail is in great shape with no issues to report. 

After hiking to and around Fragrance Lake, I decided to extend the hike to Lost Lake using the South Lost Lake trail. I found the connector trail to Fragrance Lake Road from the main trail with no problems and followed it to the junction for the South Lost Lake trail. All of the trail junctions are clearly marked in this part of Chuckanut Mountain. The South Lost Lake Trail is also in good shape. Parts of the trail closer to the lake are slightly overgrown but all of the usual muddy areas have dried up for the time being. 

On my return from Lost Lake, I decided to try hiking the Rock Trail since I have never hiked it before. From the junction with the South Lost Lake Trail, the Rock Trail has a pretty steep grade most of the way up to where the trail passes next to massive cliffs and sandstone walls. It is an amazing sight to look straight up at the rock walls and imagine how they got that way. The Rock Trail also features several stairs that do some of the heavy lifting in the steepest areas. The only issue of note with the Rock Trail is that it is overgrown and in need of some brushing near the junction with the South Lost Lake Trail. 

My return trip also included the Double Diamond Trail, which is mainly a mountain biking trail but hikers can also use it. It's in good shape with the exception of a tree across the trail about halfway down. The tree is marked with pink tape so you can see it but it is something to be aware of if you are screaming down the mountain. 

It was a busy day on Chuckanut Mountain but I found lots of solitude on the South Lost Lake and Rock Trails. I completed the 10 mile loop in about 7 hours with several stops for pictures and snacks. 

Started the day from Lost Lake Parking lot. Arrived at about 9 am to a virtually empty lot. Started up Fragrance Lake Road all the way up to the Cyrus Gates Overlook. Stopped for lunch up there while enjoying the views then continued on to Rock Trail connecting with South Lost Lake Trail all the way to Picnic Rock. Stopped for a bit to take in the views before heading back. I opted for the same route back with the exception of taking Double Black Diamond Trail back down. Trails were in great shape, fairly empty with the exception of a few mountain bikers. The bathrooms up at Cyrus Gates Overlook were in spectacular shape. Overall I clocked over 10 miles on the day. Parking lot was only about 75% full when I got back to it around 3pm.