Fabulous trail design. Footbed is easy on the feet and the elevation is spread out over the whole way so it feels easy. Beautiful forest for first two miles then beautiful views starting after that with mountain views getting better and better as you complete the climb to the top. The last mile and half has some moody forest bits but has a lot of exposure too (thus the view), which might be hot on a sunny summer day but was great on a cool fall afternoon. No water on the trail today but maybe early season during snow melt there’s some places where water might be trickling. Only saw 3 other people and wondered why this hike is not more popular. Road to trailhead is easy with only a few potholes at the very end and lots of parking. Fall colors were great but after this weekend it is probably very snowy now.

A huge thanks to WTA and all of the volunteers that built this wonderful trail!! The quality of the trail was excellent, not a single puddle and excellent tread throughout! The last 50 yards of the trail had a half inch of rapidly melting snow. The fall colors were very good, especially the rocky mountain maples (photos 1 & 2), bunchberry (photo 3), berry bushes, bracken ferns, and lots more. It was a cloudy and misty Monday, making for some pretty droplets (photo 4, mountain ash berries) and no crowds, we only saw 1 person. We took the Beckler River road there and the Index road back, I'd say the Index road is easier on your car and prettier. A big thanks to the individual that cleared the blowdowns on the Index road! Someone spray painted a bullseye on the map at the trailhead and the same person probably did the donuts in the parking area. It's so much easier to be a destroyer than to be a builder. I'm so glad to be with WTA and the hiking community!

I think I like this hike better in the fall than in the summer! Beautiful color with reds yellows and even the brown fern foliage is pretty. We did not make it to the top as we had a firm turnaround time and had to get back. We did find a nice place with some good mtn views to eat our lunch before turning around. Not much to add to the other trip report so I'll just post some pics. Campgrounds along the way are closed for the season, so no loos enroute. Just a short way up the trail is a backcountry loo in good shape. Nice moderate trail with few rocks and roots, a pleasure to hike! 

A few little patches of snow are still hanging on but none on the trail, for the moment. The trail is in great shape with no trees down or anything and the views are amazing. I think the views from the saddle area a little better than the top because you can see both ways, but both are great. Relatively busy for a weekday, but it was what might be the last nice fall day before a soggy snowy week.

Road/Parking: A bit rougher than last year, but wide enough to avoid most of the bad bumps, except a dip just before the trailhead after the turn. Google still doesn't know about the TH road and will drop you in the middle of the intersection right before it. Look for the no fireworks sign, which has a Frog Mountain sign right below it but it hard to see until you are next to it. No facilities at the TH but there is a box toilet just off the trail around the first bend (lid is not attached and the handle has come off as a separate piece). Parking for at least a dozen and there were several cars when we came and left today. 

Trail: Lots of speed bumps and ups and downs. Grade isn't too bad but does get steep in spots. Lots of squirrels and dogs out, driving each other crazy :-P Nice view right from the parking lot but views really start to open up about halfway up. Glacier looked amazing today with fresh swirls of snow and we could even see Rainier pretty well from the top! Fall foliage is a bit past peak but still nice. most of the red berry leaves have fallen now. 

Stats: Tracked 7.7 miles, 2150 fe gain/loss, 3.25 hours moving, 4 hours total. We are moderate speed hikers who hike weekly. 

On this beautiful bluebird day, another trip report to say that this was a great hike up to panoramic views, made up of nicely graded switchbacks (which I particularly appreciated on the way down!). There is a little snow on the summit, and it is interesting to see how much more snow there is on surrounding peaks compared to other's photos from just a few weeks ago.

Also, a word to the wise (or not so wise in my case I guess): I took a wrong turn at the five way intersection at Jack's Pass, and drove for several miles on FS road 6554 before realizing my mistake. Be sure to look for the Frog Mountain sign (turned so you only see it when you are already on that road) - it is on the same post as the No Fireworks sign.