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    Mount Pilchuck State Park

    4.6 (14 reviews)

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    Rock scrambling
    Doris W.

    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.

    Adam L.

    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.

    Breathtaking views!
    Laramae E.

    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

    fire tower lookout
    Jenn F.

    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.

    Near the trailhead.
    Katie R.

    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.

    Michael B.

    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

    Matt S.

    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.

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    Ask the Community - Mount Pilchuck State Park

    Is there a certain time of year this park closes? Coming to Seattle this weekend and looking for the best place (as a rookie) to hike!

    What passes do you need? Can I used a day pass?

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    Review Highlights - Mount Pilchuck State Park

    Quite interesting knowing that this lookout was constructed in 1921, and it was renovated many times.

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    Mount Pilchuck State Park - hiking - Updated May 2026

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