Mount Pilchuck Trailhead

This trail does not disappoint. Beauty from trailhead to top. The boulder scrambles were so cool, but once you hit the top? Heaven is your front door.

Alright, folks, let's talk about Mount Pilchuk. If you're looking for a delightful stroll through a verdant forest, you've come to the wrong mountain. This isn't a hike; it's an obstacle course designed by a mischievous deity with a penchant for mud and ankle-twisting rocks. First off, let's address the footwear. I saw a few brave (or perhaps, deeply misguided) souls attempting this trek in Crocs. Let me be clear: Crocs should be avoided at all costs. I don't care if you've got them in "sport mode" – that little strap is about as helpful as a screen door on a submarine when you're trying to navigate a stream of liquid earth. Your feet will slip, slide, and likely abandon ship entirely. Save the Crocs for the post-hike beer run, not the actual hike. The trail itself is less a path and more a suggestion. You'll spend a significant portion of your ascent traversing a chaotic landscape of rocks and boulders. It's like a giant spilled a bag of concrete chunks and called it a trail. And the mud? Oh, the mud! It's not just mud; it's a primordial soup, a thick, gooey embrace that threatens to swallow your hiking boots whole. Prepare for your legs to look like you've just wrestled a very enthusiastic, very dirty badger. But wait, there's more! Just when you think you've conquered the rock garden of despair, you're greeted by a ladder. Yes, a literal ladder, bolted to the side of the mountain, leading up to the fire lookout. It's a fun little "surprise" at the end, guaranteed to get your heart rate up one last time before the grand reveal. And what a reveal it is! Despite the muddy, rocky, Croc-unfriendly, ladder-climbing ordeal, the views from the fire lookout are absolutely, unequivocally worth every single grumble, slip, and existential crisis you'll experience on the way up. On a clear day, you're treated to a breathtaking panorama of the Cascades, the Olympics, and seemingly the entire Puget Sound. It's the kind of view that makes you forget about the mud caked on your calves and the lingering fear that you might have left a Croc behind. So, if you're up for a challenge, have a good sense of humor, and own a pair of sturdy, non-Croc footwear, Mount Pilchuk is an unforgettable adventure. Just don't say I didn't warn you about the footwear. You've been warned.

Gorgeous but steep hike! Come prepared with bug spray, sun screen, toilet paper (the outhouse is usually lacking), and rock-friendly shoes. You’ll end the hike at a 360 view fire tower that is quite rickety but historic and beautiful. The trail is 2.8 miles to the top (almost 6 miles total out and back) but has a steep incline of over 2,000 feet of elevation gain, most of it being at the top. You will need a Northwest Forest Pass, so make sure you bring one or stop at the little forest service place right next to the drive up to the trailhead. There is a decently maintained bathroom and garbage at the trailhead. You can bring a dog as long as they can handle the intense climb. Bring dog supplies and paw balm for them!

Bathroom at the trailhead, decent amount of parking. First 1/2 of the trail is in great condition - lots of trail modifications that make it pretty easy to hike. The second half has a lot of large rocks that can easily twist an ankle or trip you if you’re not watching where you are walking. Cannot recommend hiking poles enough, especially going down!!! Pretty steep and the last section up to the lookout is perched on very large boulders and you must climb up a ladder to access the lookout. I don’t recommend bringing your dog on this trail, although they are allowed and one could help them over the boulders if you can lift them. Views from the lookout are top notch - you can see the sound and soooo many of Washington’s mountains, Olympics, baker, rainier. You can stay overnight in the lookout but be prepared to share with others. Remember - Leave no trace and use proper trail etiquette.

What an awesome hike! Could be considered difficult for some, definitely bring plenty of water and snacks for up at the top! Was somewhere between 5-6 miles and rivals beauty of some of the hikes I’ve done in Switzerland!

This trail sure is popular! Luckily I was able to locate a parking spot. I've been wanting to hike up to Mount Pilchuck Lookout for a few years. I couldn't of asked for a better day to do this trek. It took me 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach the summit and I enjoyed every minute of this trail. Especially love the sections where you need to traverse through the boulder fields... makes climbing to the top so much more entertaining. This is easily one of my new favorite hikes. And those panoramic views from the apex of Mount Pilchuck... BEAUTIFUL !! Very happy this lookout still exists.

This trail is very beautiful with an intense incline. If you have a knee problem this trial is not a good option. The second half of the trial seems to be going at a 45° angle so there is a lot of pressure on the knees. Once you get to the top of the trail the view is breathtaking. Probably sunrise or sunset would be stunning.

Beautiful but strenuous hike to the summit. The drive to the trailhead is through a muddy path with lot of holes and can get challenging in the dark. The first 1.2 mile of the hike is through a lush forest. Rest of the hike transcends into rocky steep path till the overlook. It is good to wear good hiking shoes as few parts are quite slippery. There are gorgeous views throughout the hike. This is one of the most popular hikes in the area, so expect a lot of people hiking with you.

The road up to the trail is in much better shape than I was expecting and when I arrived at 8:30 am on a sunny Friday, there were plenty of parking spaces left. The trail is very well signaled and maintained. Absolutely GORGEOUS views, challenging enough but not one of those hikes you never want to do again. And the payoff is worth it 100 times.

This hike is not for the faint of heart. I almost turned back 3 times and the first was just driving up there! This hike however will reward you with beautiful views and a workout and if you make it to the top you will feel beyond proud of yourself. A quick climb up the ladder to the fire lookout will take you back into history with old letters and photos of what this land once was! It was too hot to read through everything when I came up so I will have to make more trips. The road going up is filled with holes, large holes that your whole car will dip into. I took it slow at first until another car passed me and I found the right technique for my subi. Yea a subi can definitely make the trek but just be gentle on your cars and enjoy the journey! The hike up is all stairclimbers. It's definitely not a walking trail for a casual stroll; it's strenuous but very fun. I felt I was in great cardio shape while hiking but my hips and knees definitely made it harder. Stairs made of stones, stairs made of wood, and the last bit leading to the lookout is all hopping over rocks and even pulling yourself up. Bring your hiking poles and it'll definitely help! $5 for parking without a Discovery pass.

Came here on a weekday afternoon to hike Mt Pilchuck, road leading to trail was super uncomfortable with a ton of potholes. It becomes paved closer to the trailhead, but it's pretty bad. Saw search and rescue at the bottom, passed a ton of them bringing an injured hiker on the way down. Hike was through trees for a bit and then rocky for a while, was fun and different. There's a bit of a scramble of rocks to the lookout, which had a great view. It was super cloudy when I went, but the lookout was above the clouds and the sun was shining as well. View was of a blanket of clouds with the occasional mountain in the distance. Great hike, not too long, not very many people, but beware of the road!

Hiked Saturday 7/2/2016 Distance: 5.4 miles Gain: 2300 feet Difficulty: slightly strenuous Road out to trailhead: IS TERRIBLE but driveable. So many potholes! Huge potholes! I have a Mazda 6 and it survived. But the road is a slow 6 mile drive to trailhead filled with potholes. If you don't want to take your car that far down on a potholed road, you can always stop at Heather Lake. There's a toilet at the trailhead. We got there early Saturday and had no trouble with parking. There might have been one or two fallen trees on the trail but it was not hard climbing over them. Probably 1 mile or two in, the trail is more rocky than dirt. There is some rock scrambling involved on the trail. The last part is a scramble to the lookout. You can go inside the lookout. Pack water and snacks. It wasn't clear the day we went but it was still a beautiful hike.

While closer than most hikes, Mount Pilchuk was pretty darn good. I mean, lemme warn you, the road up gets pretty potholey, so prepare to drive slowly or with something that can take the hits. Also, prepare for a hike that may be under six miles, but is a tough six miles -- because of the steepness of your steps. Compared to other hikes I did this past summer, this was probably the hardest, because I don't typically use those muscles. (Yep, no butt.) I will also note that the hike is BEAUTIFUL on the way up but somewhat meh at the top if you happen to hit a cloudy day; you simply can't see much of anything until the sun burns off the haze. (Also, for those looking to camp, keep in mind this is a terrible hike to do, as the only thing at the top is rocks and that little built structure; you can't mosey around and see the beauty on any type of flat ground like other places.) Above all, I remember the pain. I worked out the muscles I barely use, and slammed my feet to oblivion. And, for the next four days, I could not properly use at least one of my thighs; it was simply gone for a few days, which meant I waddled down the stairs like someone who never works out. That was enough for me to either never do this hike again (but recommend you try it) or start working out with greater variety. But, gyms are closed, so guess where Rebecca isn't hiking anytime soon. You guessed it! Bottom line: Short but tough hike with cool, rocky views along the way to the top, which may or may not have a view depending on how long you wait for the clouds the pass. Kinda like in life. Also, wear shoes with good shock.

Yuppies take note. Did this October 6, 2017 at age 57 and in reasonable shape and enjoyed it immensely!! The views were incredible - could see Mt St Helen and Mt Rainer from the top. Best hints: 1) wear Waterproof hikers 2)carry 1-2 liters each of water - best done in a water backpack 3) dress in layers and adjust to avoid sweating. At times I had wool hat on; at others was down to T-shirt. 4) bring lightweight rain jacket - weather can be unpredictable. 5)buy and print a day permit. You can't pay for it at the base parking. 6) bring chocolate bar ( I forgot) The road up to the base has a good section with potholes but you can go around 20 mph and steer around them ( think mogul skiing) There was no snow on the trail although my son ran into whole fields of it in July.

I'm not sure how this hike hasn't been shoved down my throat by so many people. It's been on our list for a long time, but I had no idea. Even on a cloudy day, the summit was spectacular. We're fit enough, not pros, not feeble. It was not steep or difficult, but it was very rocky, muddy, and slippery (we hiked Sep 28). For us, it was just over two hours up and just under two hours down. The last tiny bit up to the lookout tower was a bit hairy--huge steep boulders to climb. Getting over the fear, it really wasn't difficult at all. The lookout was just awesome. We brought sandwiches, as we always do, and sat in the tower and had lunch. If it's too busy to do this, there seemed to be plenty of perching rocks and space around the summit to sit and eat with a view.

Mount Pilchuck is the hardest hike that I have ever had to endure... EVER. Where do I even start here? I was under the impression that this hike was going to be.... Somewhat hard? I saw that the hike was only about 5-6 miles roundtrip and I thought to myself.. This should be cake!! After researching it on WTA and finding out that the elevation was insane, I got just a tad bit frazzled and made sure I trained myself at the gym the whole week before my trek! You know you're in for a treat aka a SUPER HARD HIKE if you're driving up to the trailhead from the actual road in gravel for a good 30-40 minutes. We were driving up the gravel for quite some time and collected a ton of dust, so don't bother washing your car before heading here! Protip: if you're hiking this during the summer, be prepared to be attacked by a BUNCH of horseflies. They do not play and they love you even more if ya sweat a lot! There are a crap ton of rocks and boulders that you need to climb up on this trail. It is not a walk in the park, I will tell you that. Maybe 50% of the time I was crawling just to get up and when we finally reached the firehouse at the top, we had to climb even more! This hike is so freakin' strenuous, but the view at the top had my breath TAKEN AWAY. On a hot summer day, with clear skies, you can see Washington State at a whole 360, and that's an experience worth seeing to believe. You will literally be part of the mile high club. And of course you'll have to crawl over to that crazy ledge of a rock to take your photo and show off to the world that you've accomplished such a hike! All the power to ya!

Located in the North Cascade area, and it's a 5.4 miles roundtrip. Northwest Forest Pass is required, so visit the information center or buy it in advance online. With a gain of 2,300ft, it offers 360-degree panoramic views of Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainer and the Olympics. First mile was quite easy and shady because of the trees. The rest of the hike consists of uphill and rock climbing. You will depart the forest and eventually reach a clearing where you can see tons of trees below. On a clear day, you can easily see the fire lookout at the summit. Great reward at the end, and soak in the views on top of the lookout! Quite scary climbing up/down the stairs if you're afraid of heights. Quite interesting knowing that this lookout was constructed in 1921, and it was renovated many times. Now, it's still standing and serves as a proud landmark for many locals and visitors! The drive: We followed the given coordinates on WTA website, and we printed most of all the directions for preparation. After passing the bridge on Mountain Loop Hwy, make a right on Mount Pilchuck Road and another right on FR42. 6.8 miles of this is dirt muddy road. But you're on the right path if you encounter Heather Lake. The last mile will contain potholes and it is unpaved. Coordinates: 48.0621,-121.8107

I've been on a few hikes in the North Cascades, Snoqualmie Pass, and Mt. Rainier areas, and this was by far one of my favorite hikes! The hiking trail had more of a variety than most trails, and so it was more fun to hike. Most hikes will eventually start feeling like a chore to me, and get boring, but I legitimately enjoyed this trail! You start out on a foresty trail, which eventually becomes a clearing and a boulder field. There aren't too many signs, but there will be the occasional orange marker flag to guide you. My friends and I went during the fall, when there was no snow, and it was dry. Definitely be careful depending on the weather conditions though; I've heard there have been accidents in the past. I can see how it can be easy to get lost if there's snow, that's why there are signs pointing you back to the lot. Towards the end of the hike, you'll climb up some boulders to reach the fire tower lookout. Definitely a nice end to the hike, and a nice spot to snack and chill while enjoying the view! NOTE: A Northwest Forest Pass is needed for parking ($5 for a day pass)! Also, I would recommend mapping out the drive beforehand, since service might be spotty as you get closer to the trail. The last mile drive towards the trail is also pretty bumpy (i.e. potholes), so the mile felt like it went on forever.

Mount Pilchuck was an exciting prospect for me, so exciting that I chose it as my last trail before moving out of state. It's somewhat challenging and promises 360 degree views of surrounding peaks from a fire lookout on the summit. Bring it. I set out and made my way through Granite Falls and up towards the trailhead. The road is in surprisingly poor condition. It's potholed to the point they are nearly unavoidable and despite a steady speed of less than 5 mph, I managed to hit one hard (which broke my passenger window's regulator--a $300 repair). Sure, mountain roads get potholed; I'm an experienced hiker, I get this, but this road was considerably rougher than is typical. At the trailhead you immediately realize you will not be afforded an ounce of solitude, no time to make one with nature, no birdsong and silence. Because the lot was beyond full, cars scattered everywhere. I wondered if I had inadvertently pulled into a Costco parking lot on a Sunday afternoon. Indeed, the hike both up and back down was so full of folks that the ability to enjoy nature was hampered. And the effects of a trail this heavily populated are obvious. There are horrible and noticeable trail erosion and compaction issues. At some point repairs were attempted but that has resulted in visible webbing and tarping in several spots. Where repairs have never been attempted you see signs of flooding and mudding. The other effect of overuse here is invasive trail marking. There are signs everywhere--metal signs that resemble those seen on the freeway, bright red and proclaiming "Wrong Way." There are numerous ground markers that point to the parking lot, robbing the trail of it's inherent woodsy feel. And, perhaps most disturbing, someone has seen fit to spray paint arrows on trees and rocks. What happened to using ahu or other more appropriate trail marking techniques? There is a silver lining up top. If you skip the fire lookout and instead locate a semi-secluded ledge, you can enjoy a phenomenal view before fighting the masses back down.

The hike is a little difficult but the view is awesome, I'll be back on summer time for much better view. I went here in close to winter so it's really cold

I have been to many beautiful places with the views. Buildings, bridges, Lakes and etc. Summited many mountains . For the very first time my friend and I decided to spend the night in hammocks with a 360 degree views. Sunset and sunrise all in one serving. All you had to do was turn the head. Friend dropped his hammock of the cliff , spent two hours finding a way to retrieve it , didn't bring enough water. What was amazing we were 5700 feet above the sea. Didn't sleep at all ,because for some 7 hours , we were literally fighting of dozens of mouses . I guess we took their high ground. Overall the Experience was priceless and the cost for these 5 star views although with a little rodent problem cost us nothing.

WARNING: The drive up to the trail is horrible, i read reviews about it and didn't think it'd be that bad, and maybe it isn't that bad, i mean i made it up with my camry and dodged most of the pot holes, but you gotta have some serious skills to dodge them all (of course i wasn't driving) that 7 mile is hell, and going down was worse that the sun was in the way so we couldn't see the road. You also pass by heather lake as you drive, so if you decide you wanna stop dodging pot holes, i guess you can settle with heather lake. Once you get closer to the trail, it gets better, i think they're trying to fix the road. I've been itching to go on this hike and i absolutely loved it! Throughout the entire hike, i was not bored at all! The first 3/4 mile was an "average" trail with slight incline, but the rest of the trail required climbing and filled with rocks EVERYWHERE. It was pretty cool actually but i would highly recommend hiking shoes, my little brother was wearing free runs and almost twisted his ankle a handful of times. There's not really a "trail" i did this hike on june 29. 2016 and i came back sunburnt! The views are totally worth it though, and if you're afraid of heights, i think this hike will scare the crap out of you, you're so high up in the clouds the view is breathtaking. I think the only bad thing about this hike is the part going down, you really have to be careful, there's lots of loose rocks to look out for. You wont regret doing this hike! so much fun. I went on a wednesday and it was sorta packed... not sure why but maybe it's becoming more popular, and i can see why. Difficulty wise, I didn't think it was THAT hard, I struggled on lake serene more so if you've done that hike you'll be good!!