Reviews of Mount Pilchuck State Park (Park)

Jason Eastman

Pretty as ever up there right now, lots of snow on heather lake. Be careful and be prepared!

Doug Barlow

Easy way to enjoy the great outdoors in the PNW

Jeremiah Tibbitts

Awesome hike

Sally Lee

another lake view hike. Not easiest, but end has very few people to disturb your peace

Kelli Bullock

A beautiful day for a hike but a little hazy. Arrived at the trailhead at 8am but a lot of cars were already there. Try to hike on a week day to avoid the crowds. The look out was a it crowded but still room for everyone.

Zack Horvath

An absolutely gorgeous hike up Lake 21!

Harley

Beutiful place with a relatively easy climb... Make sure to pack and start early!

moran may-rom

Amazing beautiful place

Staci Peper

Beautiful hike, cloudy or sunny it’s absolutely worth the trek! Definitely on the difficult side toward the end with several rock fields/scrambles, especially if wet, but definitely doable for the weekend hiker who wants a fun challenge. Highly recommended, but can be busy on weekends and road in is horrific (it’s where potholes go to die).

Roman P

One of the first hikes on the Mountain Loop Highway, Pilchuck is a classic with tremendous views of the Sound and the Olympics ona clear day. Take note: on busy days the parking lot will be overflowing and the trail will get crowded.

Marcello Borring

Great place for a visit.

Adam Guzauskas

Shaded hike, clean trails, not too busy, open parking

Jessica Murray

Lake 22 was a great hike to a beautiful destination. In the winter I would recommend microspikes for icy patches.

Tristan Stevens

Lake 22 hike was nice and in good condition but go early because there were lots of people coming down when were coming down at 10:00. The parking lot was full when we left at 11:00.

Gregory Poe

Wow. Incredible view from the top of the mountain (and the whole way up). Definitely expect to see other people, but it's not extremely crowded.

Liz Bee

Wonderful views, hiking and adorable little places to eat

Khellendrose

Absolutely stunning views and not to tough of a hike. Went up on a Tuesday so not many people at the top. Amazing place to fly your drone and completely legal to do so. To the random guy who wanted to complain about the sound of the drone that only can fly for 15-20min. Your complaining was louder and more distracting than any drone could be. Everyone enjoys nature in their own way, sometimes people want to take drone footage so their disabled family members can experience the views also.

Robbie Rydeen

This hike is a level 27. It was intense, we had three kids and only made it half way but it was so beautiful and worth it.

Thomas Huff

This is a great, challenging hike. It is not long, but the vertical climb is reasonably steep...about 2200 feet. Up until about June there is snow most of the way up there, so do not wear running shoes like I saw many people wearing when I was up.there on May 27th. The drive to the trial head is more of a challenge for your car. Unless you have significant ground clearance the potholes will ground-out most cars. Do not take a sports car up there!

Rihana Martinson

I love this area. It's beautiful. There are a lot of good trails to hike. Bring a camera!

Kevin Jinx

Easy grade on the trail, not very long to the top and not a huge number of switchbacks. My only regret was that when I got to the top the entire view to the West was blocked by clouds. I could see Mt. Baker to the north quite well though.

Andrew michak

My whole body hurts but a great hike.

All Seasons Landscaping Services

Wow wow! 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 @benofoski 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.

Bettington Kesesi

Awesome trail to hike. Picturesque view on clear skies above all such a lovely place. But, you will have to put up with about 6 miles of rough gravel road to get to the trailhead.

Kasando Bosco

Lake 22 is a must hike when visiting! Great views, variety, and mild enough for all Hiking levels.

Arvind SV

Great home for perfectly beautiful view. Moderately strenuous

Rob Gamage

Spectacular day hike! Great views all along the trail and capped off with amazing views from the summit!

Marisa Nesbit

This is an aggressive hiking trail. It is not too steep but there are rocks or boulders everywhere. Going down takes nearly the amount of time that going up takes. It is an enjoyable hike but hard on the knees.

Neil Thirsk

Came here this past weekend. Was originally going to do Heather lake but then decided to brave the snow. What an adventure, made it all the way to the parking lot of the trail head , glad we brought snow shoes and the rescue team was on hand afterwards to help us down the mountain. Don't go up in anything less than a Subaru Forester with high clearance.

david parker

A long steady climb with some rock scrambling at the end to get to the lookout. Be sure to leave enough time to take the access road from Mt. Loop to the parking area, it can take ~20 minutes if there's traffic

Shinya Takahashi

The hike was a little bit hard but great views

Kirk Fullmer

Heather Lake trailhead, good hike into the woods. Uphill alot with rockery trail. Beautiful lake with the snow and mostly frozen. January 2018

Doug Webster

Absolutely beautiful. Don't go here. Leave it alone It's not worth your time. The trails are trash, the people are trash, the wildlife is trash, the roads are trash,.... Just don't go. To many people will spoil it.

Eric H

This park is amazing from top to bottom. The trail is pretty rocky so take your time.

Matthew Prall

Really enjoyed the hike up to Mt. Pilchuck, even though the mountain was entirely cloud covered the morning we went. A small rock scramble to the fire lookout station at the top. Do be wary of all the potholes on the way to the trailhead.

Lisa Moody

Great day for hike! Didn't see any cars broken into, but they sure warn you!

Taylor Abrahamson

Unfortunately the parking lot is a bit run down. The restroom has bullet holes in the door and the toilet seat. There was glass prevalent on the ground which means lots of break-ins. The hike to the summit itself was good though and the views are some of the best you can get for a hike this easy.

Chanel Bonelli

The views at Mount Pilchuck State Parkwere 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) I will be back to Mount Pilchuck State Park again and again.

James Lussman

Just gorgeous. No other words are needed.

Kyle Yount

One of the best hikes and views in Western Washington. Make sure to bring shoes that can trek through snow and water. Speaking of water, make sure you won't run out like I did. Also, don't hike in a thunderstorm like I did either...

Frank Jordan

It was our first big hike in Washington. The road to the trailhead for the lookout is full of potholes but well worth the drive. Ample parking at the base of the lookout trail. Tends to be busy because of the gorgeous views and lookout shelter at the top of the 3-4 hour hike.

Lee Byrd

Great hike.

Cody Klinich

People got stuck needs to be plowed better up to parking lot. 2ft of snow 3qorter way up

Stacie Larsen

This is one of my favorite hikes! If you're in shape it's not too bad, but it's decently long with lots of switch backs and a scramble at the end. I would recommend getting there early before the crowds. Also get there before fog rolls in. We got to the trail head and made it to the top by 11? and it was just before clouds rolled in. It was fun to be the only two at the top too :)

Dave Wolf

Wow. Tough hike, but worth it.

Zakkry Endicott

Great hiking on the pinnacle lake side

Carl Foster

Walked up at night. Watched the blood moon rise. 8===D

Anthony Strome

Got a pic my friend took from here . Great trip

phil's eyelash alexander

Beautiful hikes

Don Otis

A beautiful hike but don't go on a weekend. The views are unparalleled for a quick trip from Seattle. Get there early! We did and still saw close to 300 people and two dozen dogs. The road into to the trailhead is rugged so expect it to be slow and potholed. The is plenty of water and the scramble to the lookout is well worth the effort.

K C

This might be my favorite hike!... with easy accessibility and great rewards it's definitely top 3 I have been here 20+ times and I am never disappointed.

Spencer McEntee

amazing overnight stay. being a hammock and kick back for an awesome easy to do adventure

Devan Nichols

Fantastic hike!

Bryan Yoshinaga

Definitely take the Heather Lake trail. You won't be disappointed.

Brendan Stillwell

Trail conditions are bad this time of year but can't blame the weather for doing what it wants. Both Heather Lake and pilchuck outlook are outstanding hikes

Matt chu

Some of the greatest views ever!

Caleb Braaten

Great hike. Great views and just general awesomeness. The road can be a little rough to get to the trailhead so make sure you have good suspension.

niharika aggarwal

A medium to tough hike for 7 miles round trip. Bit rocky so be sure to wear good hiking shoes.

Kayla Mcintire

It was so AMAZING the park is so GORGEOUS! Going from flatland in Kansas to climbing a mountain is life changing.

Ashley Peterson

Loved this hike. Beautiful views and very clean trail. The lookout tower is great and you can camp in it. Will be doing an overnight hike there sometime in the near future.

Amanda Peterson

This place is beautiful. I love it. There are tons of beautiful hikes to go on and parking at the trail heads. Lake 22 for example has a beautiful parking lot with facilities.

R. Moore

This has to be a favorite Washington hike so far. Yeah it's a bit challenging and I would bring some bug spray, but the view is totally worth it! Also, no discovery pass required!

Benji Stevens

A bit of a pain to drive to, especially if you drive a small car, but well worth the adventure and views. Managed to hike at the best time, when there was snow, and capture some awesome pictures. With that being said, however, make sure you are aware of the risks as well. The path was iced over so it was really slippery. I would recommend wearing good boots with good traction, and/or yak tracks. Don't try to trail blaze as a lot of the fresh snow was covering deep holes in rock formations, which could easily injure you. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves to adventure, but be prepared, and be smart. This was my first time hiking this mountain, so I don't know what the conditions are like during warmer months, where there isn't snow or ice.

Katie Carl

Beautiful hike with amazing views on a clear day

A. C.

Went up to Lake 22. It was a nice 6 mi hike for us, with a sharp, jagged rock field for about a third of it that wasn’t super fun. But the lake is awesome.

David Cook

Best bang for your buck in Western Washington.

Laura Denney

Beautiful hike.

Clint Johnson

Amazing view from the top!

Maegan Coombs

Awesome hike! Not for the weak of heart! Beautiful view from the top and worth the hike.

Bill Martin

The trail was well marked. I'm guessing that it may be a little more than 3 miles each way. It took about 5 hours without a lot of syopz

Richard Eason

Wonderful hiking trail. Still snow on the ground even after the weeks of raining. Avalanche dangers biggest concerns.

James Taylor

This is a trail I frequent. The views are breathtaking both with and without snow.

Tyler Croyle

Awesome views on a clear day! Do this hike. You will not regret it. Just come early as the parking lot fills up fast and be prepared for 5 + miles of REALLY bad gravel road. (the last 2 miles are old pavement....)

Christopher Dempewolf

Great hiking spot, with some terrific 360 views at the top. Not terribly busy hike which is nice.

Philip Rothenberger

Well maintained! The road has a lot of potholes, but other than that this area is great.

Edie Storm

Gorgeous views. FYI, not really a good hike to take a dog on, unless you aren't going all the way to the lookout. The dogs that were carried up the last rock climb and ladder to lookout were not happy about being up there. Most seemed freaked out and we're whining the whole time. Yes, you have to carry your dog at the last part up, so hopefully you have a small one. But a wonderful hike.

David James

I love the hike but it is super crowded.

Tom Pendergast

Mt Pilchuck is the go-to-hike if you want a quick summit in the North Puget Sound. Starts in the woods, then breaks clear for great views all the way to the top. The only drawback is the sheer numbers of people drawn to the hike on a nice summer day.

Reza Khanlou

Awesome place. Wonderful view on the top over the clouds.

Donald Wisehart

Great 360 degree views, especially North Puget Sound lowlands. Can see Baker, Glacier Peak, Rainier, Olympics and many mountains in all directions.

Chely M.B

Beautiful area

Ilya Komakhin

Good views and trailhead @ 3000ft helps to get high quickly. Very rocky most part of the trail, so plan extra time.

Josh Smart-Turner

Over the last couple of years the majority of service roads have gotten VERY BAD. To the point where it's almost impossible to take a regular car up to some of these hikes. Otherwise it's a treat to get to see this kind of nature in our back yard. Great hiking, lakes, streams and views

Nathaniel Strandquist

Wonderful hike, incredible views. Well worth the time and effort.

Rilwan Ajayi

Make sure you have the right hiking shoes. Beautiful view once you get to the top. Makes the snow, water and stoney trail worth it.

Jared Buckley

It is great that the road goes so far up the mountain. You can do this hike in the evening after work. It is a fun hike and a summit that is achievable by all. I will go up more often.

Chris Dudak

Great views - or so I've heard, since it was snowing at the top. Good scramble for the last little bit.

Robert Alberg

Mount Pilchuck State Park is a nice park to visit. Nice long hiking trails to walk on.

Christopher Farquhar

Beautiful! Awesome trails.

Mark Miller

Amazing views and hike. Roads could use some help.

Yue Gao

Had a great time hiking

Hanchuan Peng

Definitely a must-go in the mountain loop area of great Seattle. Steep mountain, a lot of rocks, very good 360-degree views. Be careful, do not fall off cliff!

Brandon Reeves

Absolutely amazing hike, the road is full of massive pot holes but I was still able to cruise on up in a little Hyundai. Didnt hit snow patches until roughly 4k feet up or half way to the fire lookout. Once you reach the top at the moment there is a beautiful windex colored pond you can see while all the snow is melting. The lookout is still in winter gear with the glass all boarded up just incase. You can still crawl in as the bottom is open. Overall amazing hike would highly recommend for a sunset!

Chris Lee

Great Places to Hike. If you ever get the chance hike up to Lake Twenty Two. It's a pretty hike with lots of waterfalls and streams on trail. The pay off at the end is awesome.

Mike Harman

Beauty eh

Yaier Ron-Rubinstein

First warning, please do not start hiking if you can't get off the trail before dusk. Also, it's a very sharp incline. Please carry your water with you, at least 1 liter per person. About 6 miles hike round trip. Steep incline almost from the beginning. Also very rocky. At the top there are some big boulders to climb on to the observatory/ look out point. Worth ever step. Be safe. Have fun!

Anjali Ostwal

Climb was little strenuous but have some good views. Lookout was under maintenance but we enjoyed the views from summit rock and were amazing!

Christopher Mcmillen

great hike with good views, the restroom at the trailhead is a different story, thier is bullet holes in the door & toilet but overall a nice place to see.

Pete Holmberg

Beware, google has the name wrong. This is NOT a state park. You will need a NW Forest Pass (federal) to park here, not a Discover (WA state park) pass. That aside, it's a really nice hike, but very rocky. Watch your step.

Angela Park

Mt. Pilchuck hike is a calf burner but well worth the awesome view. I took up my two german short hairs who tackled the entire trail well except for the rock scramble at the very top. Took longer than expected since you have to take it slow on the way down with all the rocks.

Kelly Merritt

Many hiking opportunities! Beautiful area.

Magdalyn Elizabeth

Beware the 6 miles of road that leads up to the trail. There are potholes that will break your car axle. The trail itself was difficult. It took my twice as long to complete than I originally planned. A very steep climb with poles highly recommended. I attempted a sunrise hike but miss by an hour. The hike was gorgeous and provided lots of amazing views. The top of Mt. Pilchuck was Drop. Dead. Gorgeous. It's a must see.

Rebecca

Loved it here, would come back again and again!

Kathia Goulet

One of my favorite hike!

MacGyver Glaser

Amazing view and hike that I have done multiple times and every time is good, road is a little difficult but hike is well worth it.

Scott Bowen

Road is awful coming in (lots of potholes) and the hike is brutal with half being totally in the snow, but the view is incredible.

Jessi Lucas

There are bullet holes in the door of the outhouse at the parking lot and it's hard to secure the door. The hike is beautiful and challenging, culminating at a great lookout tower. Such beautiful views.

Ethan Yeo

One of my favorite areas to hike around. Go checkout Heather Lake!

Robbert Hu

Short trail but semi intense climb. Definitely worth it. The potholes driving up to the trail are maybe more challenging. A round trip to the top and back took us about 3,5 hours in good weather conditions.

Senad Besic

This trail, while more difficult and arduous than my expedition team would have hoped for, was as satisfyingly challenging as it was beautiful. Moss covered trees, gorgeous pines, and delicious views are just half of what you'll experience taking on this trail. It was totally worth the hike and it was one of my favorite climbs during my trip to Washington.

Andrew Lambert

Great hike

James S.

Took my grandmother hiking here for her 93rd birthday and let me just say wow was that not fun. But the hike was a blast and great for all ages except 93 year olds. If you see here just send her back to Everett. The bears in Patriots helmets are very friendly but just full of themselves. Don't bother packing a toaster cause the electrical outlets along the trail rarely work.

Peter M

Beautiful area not far from the bustle of the big city. Well maintained trails and areas. Great place to visit, please respect nature and clean up after yourselves, your dogs, and leave your boomboxes, alcohol, and smoking material and devices at home.

Yvonne Simpson

Love this hike! Be ready for a climb. Saw lots of people hiking who didn't appear prepared. It gets steep at the top. The views are spectacular!

Duke Swink

Loved the trail, once we actually found it. WA is not known for publicizing the whereabouts of their nice hiking trails. GPS was no help on this one. There are no signs anywhere, except on the way out of the park. Really? We drove over 2 hrs trying to find the lookout, and we had to flag down a passerby to get directions, he laughed about there being no signs anywhere. But it's great, once you find it!

Chris Martinis

Great mountain to hike with amazing views! You'll feel like you're above the clouds and you'll be able to see for miles when you reach the peak. The top of the mountain also has a great little tourist area to relax and enjoy your success. Easily worth the trip!

Aaron Jennings

One of my all time favorite shorter hikes.

Adam Ki

Beautiful. See review for Heather lake trailhead.

Joseph Kosten

Absolutely stunning! And closer to seattle than Rainier

Scott Davis

A great place for a hike

Juan David Escobar

Excelente smooth hike.. not so hard, great trail and getting to the end is amazing!!!

Amin Shali

One of the best trails around here. Challenging enough which makes it not boring. Astounding views. It's amazing.

Denni Barajas

Excellent place to hike. Beautiful views from the top.

S Duncan

Wow the views! I frequent the Appalachians and am not used to hikes this step, but I held up just fine! Bring your water in with you. There's no fill up (or any plumbing) at the trailhead. There is a latrine. I recommend a walking stick to help you clamber down on jagged rocks and scree. The last bit near the summit involves climbing on boulders and choosing your steps carefully. It's strenuous but worth it! Data from my FitBit (not using GPS) for round trip: 6.7 mi in 4hr 1min (with a 30 min stop at the summit), elevation gain 2,210 ft.

Asma R.B.

Thought it was going to be easy as there is not much elevation gain, but i was wrong! I found the hike to be quite difficult as there was a lot of melting snow, slush, water, mud and boulders... First half of the trail is easy but the rest was quite challenging for me. I am not sure how it is without snow. View from the summit is amazing and the the lookout is pretty as well. I think the worst thing were the bugs which made the hike even more difficult. And also the road leading to the trail with unlimited potholes. Overall it’s a fun challenging hike. I had microspikes with me which I used quite a few times. Waterproof hiking shoes are a must as you are sure to walk in water.

Spencer Houck

One of the best views on the Westside for the effort.

Stuart Gough

Great (difficult) hike, gorgeous views, and a memorable experience. I'd recommend later in season (I went July 4th) to avoid the snow though, as that part sucked ;P

Lloyd Smith

A great time with kids. 6 y/o Very icy in March be sure to have shoes with cleats of some type and good ankle support.

Josh Ren

Went on a beautiful hike up to Heather lake! Was a little chilly and foggy but the mountains were absolutely stunning!

Sean Marchbank

Really nice and challenging hike. The road up to the trailhead is rough. Use an appropriate vehicle or whatever rental you have!

Daniel Kim

Not one of my favorite hikes due to biting bugs, rocky terrain, traverse through slippery snow fields and difficult road with lots of potholes to get to trailhead. Decent view of surrounding mountains though at the top where you can wait in line to get on to the lookout tower.

Robert Bland

Do not come up here without a high clearance vehicle. The pot holes are so bad and I watch way too many people bottom out on their little town cars and have to be towed. But if you get up there, the hike is amazing despite its endless uphill qualities. The lookout on the top of the mountain has some of the most breathtaking views.

Timothy Strong

Bottom area was wet

levi peterson

It was great.

Zachary Mullins

Beautiful hike! I'm glad I did it and will again one day.

Aquil Arif

Philchuck is always a great hike. It's a good exercise and the views are worth it. Be sure to bring some food and enough water for the hike. The hike is strenuous due to the rocky cliffs but the views all around make every step worth it. Beware of the road though, I recommend an SUV with AWD. Try and reach there early since its a pretty busy hike and even though it has a large parking it gets filled up fast. Also know that discover pass doesn't work.

Ben Olson

Best day hike in the state. Go on a clear day and it seems can seems like you can see half the state from the top.

Veronica M

Omg! What an amazing hike! And mildly challenging, it was awesome!

Calabe Davis

Great hikes, gorgeous views.

Jeff Brown

Love this trail

Andre ZT

The road to the place was terrible with big holes in the ground.

Jason Warth

Great family hike with a beautiful view.

Tyler Ditty

Some of the best views in the area if you can make it up to the lookout

LuVerne Johnson

This is another place that is very beautiful it's a must-see to enjoy

John Peterson

Likely the most rewarding hike you can experience, for a quick four hours roundtrip if your hustling your way to the top. Trail is challenging; Rocky terrain, scrambling over boulders and extreme elevation gain will get the heart pumping. But its completely worth it for the stunning view and minature museum in the resorted 1920s fire watch station at the summit.

Alexander Mars

It's so big and so beautiful! You can find a trail for any age and abilities.

Sam Moran

Great hike, a bit steep in places, may be challenging for young kids but views at the top on a clear day are well worth the hike.

Christopher Walker

This is a great state park, with superb views of the Cascade and Olympic ranges from the top of Mt. Pilchuck, as well as the less difficult trail to Lake Twenty-two which offers a fantastic mountain lake with Pilchuck's huge cliff face as backdrop. Come very early for parking. Both hikes are extremely popular. In late winter and spring crampons and trekking poles are advised for Lake Twenty-two, as the trail is usually completely covered in snow and can become icy and slippery near the large boulder field half way up the trail. Pilchuck's trail is usually inaccessible due to snow until late spring/early summer.