Sauk Mountain Trail, Washington, United States

4orioncreative 5:00 PM Jul 31, 2014

Be Afraid ... Be Very Afraid.
This whole side trip should be rated "expert" and some parts "just plain crazy". Okay, maybe it's not that bad but it sure isn't for the faint of heart. The 7 miles of narrow dirt logging road, that gains 4,000' in elevation, suffers from a severe lack of places to pull over if you meet another car ... so just hope you don't!! Seriously. The road, which demands your respect, is in reasonably good shape considering except for the last few hundred yards which is just a steep washed-out jeep track. I couldn't make it to the parking area. Leave your RV, MiniVan, or family car at home for this one. I drove up in my 2008 Mustang but I really didn't enjoy it; I recommend a SMALL 4-wheel drive vehicle. As far as the hike goes: it is steep and strenuous but not a killer. Definitely not an outing for the day-tripper and family from suburbia that get exhausted at the mall. The views are great so don't forget your camera!

5915camper 5:00 PM Sep 27, 2012

GREAT Views
This is one of the most popular family hikes as well as for a good cardio workout---depending on your pace. It's not long, as Cascade hikes go, (3 miles up---or shorter if you're content with the first look-out). The trail is good enough to run up for those exercise addicts but just as nice for those of us who like to go a slower pace stopping to drink in the beginning-to-end breathtaking views. At the summit you get a 360 degree view of the white hot-heads of Washington with Mt. Baker "right there" of course. If you're daring and have a great sense of balance you can do the tight-rope walk across the thin wedge connecting the popular end of the trail to the highest tip (as benchmarked) just to say you did it. However, if you try but fail....well there's nowhere to go but down. A helicopter will be sent to pick up your remains. Many a brave soul has done it, but I know my limits and am content to sit and marvel at their daring. I don't have acrophobia but some people who make it up are too frightened to come back down. I don't get it, but every summer I see at least one helicopter circling the area for a spot to land to pick up some dizzy soul or somebody who thinks gravity laws don't apply to them and go off the trail and then off the mountain. These are cliffs. They're not dangerous if you stay on the trails. The views are spectacular. The road up has areas of washboard that can start your car chattering into a circle and can be hard to stop or slow when brakes are applied. Parking lot is huge and ready to accommodate you and all your friends. Expect snow on "the backside" through July and on some snowy years all the way through August. But it's usually easy enough to follow the boot trail without problem and the actual peaks to sit and enjoy views and lunch are clear and dry and oh-so-worth the sweat.