Goat Peak is the perfect trail for those looking for a short day-hike that maximizes effort with results. While not a trail I would recommend for a beginner, the steady and steep incline kept my legs on fire. But the views that you get from every vantage point keep you pushing forward, hungry for more.

Snow free and dusty, this is a great place to go hiking this early in the season. Just be careful on the way down, my feet would get away from me every so often thanks to the loose dirt and rocks littering the trail. 

Spend some time at the top and admire the views! Being able to see Rainier and Adams so close up is truly a sight to behold. Plus, with Bumping Lake in the distance, in the foreground of Adams, it makes for picture perfect scenery. 

This is one of the best, if not best, peak views I have seen in Washington state. Stunning 360 degree views and an overly friendly chipmunk await you at the top. The trail spends more time in the forest than I had expected from the description, but the view at the top made up for it. Trail starts flat but then climbs steady upward for most of the way. I would rate this trail a medium for steepness. The constant climb allows you to set a strong pace and go. Trail is clear of snow. Some sections are narrow in places with loose footing, especially in the last mile, but not too bad. The description says to look out for a spur to the top. We didn't see an obvious spur, it just seems that the main trail went to the peak. Multiple blowdowns (about 8) but all are passable. No significant water source on trail.

The trip up the Goat creek trail is labeled as easy – and perhaps it is - but after that 20th blow down and the umpteenth switchback the thought passing through your head isn't “this is easy”! Trail 959 starts directly off of Bumping Lake road and follows the road for a wee bit before passing the closest it will ever come to Goat Creek. That starts the first set of switchbacks and blow downs. Most of the trees on the trail are easy to circumvent by walking around, climbing over - or just limbo under it (OK, maybe not). The trail doesn't give you a lot of views until you reach the junction of Goat Creek and American ridge. Just a peak or two at the Nelson ridge and the wonderful feeling of being amidst the trees again – but once to the top of the ridge, there is a nice small camping spot with an open and very scenic view of Nelson ridge. Continuing up the trail to the top of Goat Peak you get to see very pleasant views of Pleasant Valley up to Chinook pass itself and the very glamorous Mount Rainier. All of that pales in comparison to the total view you get to take in once you have made it to the top of Goat Peak. The only bit of snow to contend with was at a switchback around 6300 feet – not far from the top. Being a bit careful there, you can easily get around the snow OK and a couple switchbacks later and you were at the top! The views!! Dizzying! From Rainier to Fifes Ridge. From Nelson Ridge to Mount Adams. Pleasant Valley to the right and Bumping Lake to the left. Even the Bethel Ridge tower can be seen. I was here 16 years ago and back then there was a register. This time I search for quite some time but couldn't find it. Hopefully someone will replace it. Maybe you.

It's rare that on a Sunday in the middle of the summer you can hike most of the day and not run into fellow humans. Goat Peak, the high point on American Ridge, is such a place. The two of us saw no one while hiking up Goat Creek Trail 959 and then American Ridge Trail 958 to the summit at 6473. While on the summit a lone woman came up so quietly that we had no idea she was only a few feet below us. This resulted in a rather embarassing moment due to what males often do off of summits. From the summit we could see a column of smoke to the north which I now assume to be from the Dirtyface fire. On the trail we witnessed a rarely seen event--a weasel, or weasel like animal,--killing a large chipmuck for its dinner. Watching the poor chipmuck struggle in vain makes one realize that Mother Nature is definitely not a kindly old grandmother. It was extremely distressing to see large areas of mature trees in the William O. Douglas Wilderness Area that appear to be either dead or in the process of dying. The Douglas fir appear to be the most heavily inflicted with whatever it is that killing the trees. I have sent an inquiry to the Forest Service office in Wenatchee but have not yet received a reply. Other than being a bit too warm, it was a near perfect day. Note: There is not one drop of water on this route.

I went up Goat creek trail #959 to Goat Peak on American Ridge. Trailhead is on Bumping River road, across from Cougar Flat campground. There is a FS trailhead bulletin board but it was not immediately obvious where the trail went. The trail follows the road east for about 100 yards until it comes near Goat creek, then heads uphill. The trail looked like it is not used a lot, but was in good condition. It climbs steadily but is not steep. It’s basically in the woods to the ridge top. There is a trail sign at the junction with the American ridge trail #958. The ridge at the junction is fairly broad, wooded, has camp spots, but no water. It’s 4 miles, 2600 feet elevation gain to the American Ridge trail junction. About ½ mile northeast along the American Ridge trail there is a nice view up the American River valley to Mt. Rainier. From the junction it’s about a mile northeast and another 800 feet of elevation gain on the American Ridge trail to Goat peak, 6473’. Nice 360 degree views from the top of Goat peak. My topo map shows the American ridge trail going almost over the summit of Goat peak. I did not see the junction where the American ridge trail continued east, it appear the trail simply went to the top of Goat peak. There were some patches of snow on the trail in shady spots about 6100’, but no problem. It looked like there was still quite a bit of snow on American ridge a couple miles west. The area around Fifes peak, Crow Lake Way trail and Ravens Roost appeared to be snow free.