If you're planning to hike Silver Star this season go NOW. Unfortunately, the road work is still happening. We showed up around 5 PM on Monday and talked to one of the workers as they were driving down the road. They said that though the work was only supposed to be taking place through the end of June, they weren't done laying the gravel and would be continuing the 7 AM - 5 PM road closure at least through this week.

The road itself is just fine. We had no issues in a Subaru Outback. I could see how it would be muddy in wet weather but other than a few bumpy areas it was totally dry and doable. There was only one other car in the Ed's Trail parking area when we pulled in.

We started from the trail on the right and then took the clockwise route until we got past the second little scree section. It was here that we took a right at a fork in the trail and cut over to the Silver Star Route (I'll link our route below). We did this because we liked the ridge views so much but later realized that this meant we skipped the headwall scramble section of Ed's Trail which was great.

The flowers from the very beginning until we entered the forest were absolutely incredible. They were amazing at the summit as well once we made that final push through the trees. While some (like the lupine) are slightly past peak this is still one of the most spectacular wildflower displays I've seen in Washington. We saw Beargrass, Aster, Lupine (purple and yellow), Indian Paintbrush, Bistort, Canby's Lovage, and more.

Bugs weren't bad overall and I only came out with two bites. They were probably the worst on the way up before we gained the ridge since the wind was blocked up until that point. There was enough breeze at the top that they weren't a problem.

We were the only ones at the summit and got to pitch our tent on the ridge just below where there was slightly more shelter from the wind. There are maybe 4 decent spots along the ridge and one at the summit if you don't mind pitching a tent on a concrete slab and being exposed to wind.

After eating dinner at the summit (make sure to pack up any water you need because there are no sources along the trail) we got to enjoy a gorgeous sunset with views of Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount Hood. Only two other people showed up at sunset and they headed back down right afterwards.

We made sure to get up early the next morning so we would have enough time to make the hike out before the road closed again at 7 AM. Views on the way down as the sun rose were the epitome of what makes Washington the best place to be in the summer.

It was a beautiful day to be meandering around Silver Star! The wildflowers were stunning, especially the bear grass. I did a loop up Ed’s Trail and down the regular Silver Star route, and also out to Sturgeon Rock, which was a new one for me. Standing on the top of Sturgeon Rock and looking back to the Silver Star summit was a fantastic new experience.

My friend and I went via Ed's Trail on Tuesday, camped close to the top and came down Wednesday 6/25. There was a road closed sign 2 miles away from the trailhead. We got there at 4:30pm, and the workers and vehicles came down at 4:55pm and took away the sign and left. We got to the trailhead and started hiking around 5:30pm. 

Wild flowers were amazing all along the trail, not just bear grass but many other kinds as well. There were a lot of bugs as well, not the biting kind though, but I still inhaled one and accidentally ate one. 

There were a couple of camp sites in the woods just before the summit area that no one claimed (no view). Another group already was at the site right at Summit. My friend and I camped a little down at a gravelly area just next to the trail. Another group camped at the north hill area not far away. 

Sunset was gorgeous but the volcano's were shrouded. We woke up to fog/clouds but able to hike out before it started to lightly drizzle. We got back to the trailhead at 7am, and when we got down to where the working vehicles were parked about 2 miles out at about 7:15am, the workers have arrived and just setting up the road closing sign so we got our just in time. 

WOW! Absolutely stunning hike with the beargrass superbloom. Totally worth the long drive from Seattle. Ed's Trail is the star of the wildflower show but as of 6/19, the road was still closed during weekdays. You can call the rangers station to check the status, when I did they said the road work will be finishing up soon. 

Parking at the Grouse Vista TH was fairly full around 11am when I arrived but that was to be expected on a holiday. More people heading down that up, never felt overly crowded. I liked the highpoint to the right side of the ridge when you get to the final saddle before the Silver Star summit better- more room to spread out, some great flower views all around, less wind on that particular day. Highly recommend continuing along Ed's trail as far as you can. With photos, lunch, and hiking at a quick pace, we spent 5 hours on trail and wished we had a bit more time.

I had to take advantage of the beautiful weather lately. I've been on Ed's trail many times, but not this early in the spring. I  hoping the wildflowers would've been in full force, not yet. There was still snow covering the most difficult part of the trail. After the arch you will encounter snow covering the steep scramble. I did not risk it. Give it another month before navigating Ed's trail to the summit. The trail is good all the way to the arch. You can always back track a quarter mile and cross over to the west saddle. The views from the  East saddle are the best!