BEWARE: upon arrival to trailhead there was a sheriff investigating broken windows and theft of 5 cars. There was another trail report on the 10/22 that listed another incident of break-ins suggesting that hikers park on the road and not at the trailhead parking lot.

Hike itself was pretty, especially with the fall foliage and mushrooms.

The fall color in the Issaquah Alps is the best that I've seen in years.  The fall rain and cool temperatures have really made the colors pop. The maple trees higher up on Wilderness peak have lost most of their leaves but the bright yellow leaves on the ground really brighten up the forest. We just got back from a trip to Virginia yesterday, and the fall color here this year is far superior. Images from Shenandoah NP:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/41VZkvG8rrS52UNt6

There is a new trail under construction that bypasses the eroded section of the Wilderness Creek trail that starts 0.7 miles before reaching the peak.  This new trail is almost completed. It is very nicely routed through a pleasant forest. The ends of the new trail are still unfinished so it is a bit hard to find but I think it will be open to the general public soon.

This is a great time of year to do some simple trail maintenance when you hike.  Keeping our trails nice really takes a community effort.  There are lots of downed branches that can be cleared.  Also loose rocks can be kicked off the trail.  Clearing debris from cleared water bars is really helpful for preventing tread erosion.  The more hikers that help, the better for everyone.

Friday afternoon hike. Not many other folks out there, had the trail mostly to myself. Took about an hour up, and an hour back. Fairly steep most of the way. Thought it might be muddy after all the rain the last couple days but it was in great condition. There’s a dip right before getting to the peak that had the only mud, but hardly enough to speak of. Very pretty hike, and I loved all the big boulders too, especially on the Whittaker trail on the way down. 

Started at 4pm and did the counterclockwise version of this loop hike, including the leg to the peak. While there’s no view of peaks in the distance, it’s easy to access, not too crowded, excellent trail conditions, and beautiful scenery. Got to the top with my 11-year-old in under 1 hour. Really cool bird calls in the canopy. Gets dark early here. Starting to feel like fall. 

This was my first time hiking on this side of the Cougar Mountain area.  I didn't realize there were so many trails connected here.  I did the extended loop trail, but there is a more direct trail without the extra mileage added on.  There are a lot of options to add other hikes.  I added Shy Bear trail to this hike for some extra miles and the view at Far Country Lookout.  The trails are well signed, but be careful to remember which trail you turned on if you decide to explore.