Started on FS 116 and the road goes up. No signage until you get to the trailhead, almost two miles up, but people have constructed wooden arrows at the junctions, to lead you in the correct direction. 
Once on the trail, it goes straight up a ridge, with no switchbacks, through the remains of the Jolly Mountain fires. Up on top there was a pretty good wind. We could see Lake Cle Elum below is, but all the mountains were clouded in. 

I hesitate to write this report as WTA opted to delete my last trip report. As a result, I've lost my enthusiasm for writing reports, but this hike was nice enough that I felt like sharing a few comments.

Recent reporters have given good directions on where to find the start of the trail and how to locate critical points on the trail that require a slight directional change. The trail is steep most of the way but certainly not unbearable. Fortunately it rained here recently so the ground was moist. On drier days the trail will be dusty and slippery. The trail varies from logging roads to lovely lush green forests and open slopes with views. Along the way there are badly charred trees from prior fire. While sad to see, the trees add an alluring contrast to the green healthy sections of the trail.

The number and variety of wildflowers seen were a pleasant surprise. Lots of different flowers. I saw two flowers that I had not seen before. It was also nice to hear and see quite a few birds. Seeing Western Tanagers always makes my day brighter. 

While few hikers were seen on the trail going up, there was a convergence of hikers reaching the summit at the same time. It was crowded but after walking the steep path up, no one should be denied a good resting stop on top. The surrounding peaks were partially obstructed by clouds. Still great views to enjoy. The lake was pretty below. No wind on the summit which can be unpleasant. 

I've done this hike before and I'll do it again. Approximately 7.5 miles, elevation around 5000 ft.

I started this hike in the late afternoon, passing by several groups coming down on my way up. It was windy and quite cool, but still a beautiful afternoon/evening with the golden hour light and play of the shadows on the land and I had the summit to myself. Perks of starting late. If you do this hike during the day, especially a warm day, be prepared with plenty of water as the trail is bone dry. 

I was glad to have read the previous trip reports for the helpful tips about the trailhead (it is the first dirt road on your right, just after passing Timber Cove Dr on your left as you head up along the lake) and also the first right turn that you need to take once you have started the hike up the road. Even though I had it mapped on my GPS, it looked like you should stay to the left. The GPS quickly corrected my mistake. The next right is more obvious and the trail to Hex Mountain is even more so.   

I also decided to take the other ridge line down, following mostly the Sasse Mountain trail. It would be easy to get lost here without a GPS, but basically you need to follow the winding dirt tracks (some of those tracks are not on any map) way down until when, in the forest off the upper part of the mountain, you drop out onto a forest road (FR4305 112). You will actually hit that road twice. The first time, the motorbike path continues right across the road, the second time is when you actually want to get on the road, taking a hard right, follow it a short way, and then where it makes a hairpin, you need to head into the bushes to cross the creek where you can then pick up a spur that puts you back on the Hex Mountain trail. If you look really closely, you can see trampled bushes and then what looks like to be a very faint boot track. I followed that "path" and some footprints to find the spur on the other side of the creek. It was a fun little adventure and nice to have a different route on the way back, but definitely the best views are on the main Hex Mountain trail. 

2.5 hours roundtrip, GPS said just over 8 miles. 

Arrived at the trailhead a little before 9am. As previous trip reports mention, don’t follow the directions link on the WTA website. The direction description is correct. There were about 6 cars at the trailhead. Once hiking, the first right turn came sooner than expected, so we did accidentally go left for a while, but not too long before we self-corrected. Someone did mark the trail with an arrow of sticks, but easy to walk by. This turn wasn’t an obvious fork or change in the road. The next intersection is more obvious. Bring a GPS or good map. The hike is steep at times, so a good workout. Windy today but way better views than expected for a cloudy day. We ate lunch in the forest just before the summit, as it was protected and wind-free. 

For the route down, we decided to take the other ridge to make it a loop. It started out fine. We did run into some motor bikers, so beware that this section is a multi-use trail. We thought we were on track until we weren’t and there was no obvious indication of how we missed the trail we were supposed to take. We stayed east of the creek too long. We started debating different options, including bushwhacking down the ridge to the creek, but we were unsuccessful. So we stayed on the trail we were on and found a better place to cross the creek and made it back to the main trail eventually. As everyone else mentioned, this trail requires some navigation and the multitude of turnoffs make it tricky. However, overall it was a good hike and recommended. 

We got back to the trailhead a little before 2pm. There were about 25 cars there, including a few parked on the road. 

Hex proved a great spring hike with our toddler (in backpack) and pup, as long as you're up for a very solid haul. Wildflowers were incredible in and around the 2017 burn, and the combination of ridgeline wind, burned forest with vibrant undergrowth, and 360-degree view up top is a really remarkable mix.

Be cautious on the decent though: the dusty, dry trail makes for challenging footing on the way down. We did see 5 (motorized) dirt bikes pass us - technically not allowed there, but they were cautious and courteous of us hikers on the trail. Just heads up that while motorized use isn't allowed there, it's still common.

In terms of hike challenge rating, I'd call this a "little brother" to Mailbox. It's great if you're looking for a gorgeous, scenic muscle-burner.