Outstanding views, what can I say. Not much more. Heck, you can see Glacier Pk from the trailhead and it just gets better. I guess I could say that the trail has very little shade. An early start in the day would be a good idea. And sunscreen. Trail is severely overgrown with corn lilies and other alpine meadow plants. This is in the area of the first meadow, a long section from roughly Mile 0.5-2.0. Don't make plans to enter the lookout at the summit. There are warning signs to keep off, as the structure is ready to collapse and is being partially supported by flimsy shims.

This is an outstanding hike. The combination of forest cover, meadows full of wild flowers, a small tarn and views at the top of Green Mountain that rival any within 2 hours of Seattle make this hike one of my top 10 day hikes. The only downside to this hike is getting there. It is 20 miles off of highway 530 to the junction with another road that takes you left another long and rough 6 miles to the trailhead. But if you can make it here, the rest is gravy. The trail is moderately steep to the base of Green Mountain. The lookout taunts you from above. It is then a fairly steep 1000 feet (') to the top. I really can't tell you how good the view is in all directions. Only one other comment, since quite a bit of the trail is exposed to the sun this is warm hike. Appropriate clothing and plenty of water are a must. Also make sure to bring sunscreen (I would save this one for a clear day!).

Cascade River Road is closed, so we came here. The first mile is cool forest. As the trees end, a huge meadow system commences. The flowers are past their prime. Wait about two or three weeks and the hills will be ablaze in reds and golds. The meadow seems to go on forever. The trail drops to a small pond. It's a marmot bathtub. See the fat, ready-for-hibernation, furballs sunning on the rocks. Continue up, through trees, then through grassy meadows. The sun is without mercy. The final section has steep fits. I, along with several other people, took many rests in the last half mile. Finally, the lookout! Do not go on the lookout, but rather, just look. The views will make your effort seem trivial. Keep a grip on your snacks, or the squirrels will make you sorry. It's an eight mile roundtrip, with 3100 feet of elevation gain.

A supplement and update to Bill's fine 7/20 report. Access road is fully passable to normal passenger cars. Species of flowers in the remarkable meadow wall and the higher meadows are too numerous to count. Bugs are still a problem. Flies become very numerous about the time you leave the forest for the meadow wall (a long mile); most (but not all) are the non-biting type. Mosquitoes appear as you approach the ponds at about 2 1/2 miles. They are numerous around the ponds even at midday (probably worse in the evening). Campers who dislike mosquito company enough to be willing to forego these otherwise superb campsites might be happier camping at an established site or two just before leaving the forest. The bug influx abates near the summit, and is quite tolerable at the old Lookout (though not bug-free). Don't be scared away by the mosquito squadrons at the midpoint. The view at the lookout is one of the better ones in the Cascades, with the peaks of the Ptarmigan Traverse, Buckindy, and Lime Ridge nearby, a magnificent view of Glacier, Sloan, Pugh, Whitechuck, Snowking, and Chaval only slightly more distant, and Bonanza, Three Fingers, Whitehorse, Baker, and Shuksan, among many others, farther away. We thought we could make out Stuart in the far distance.

Went to the summit of Green Mountain today. For the relatively modest effort (4 miles and about 3,000 ft of vertical), this is an amazing spot to view the central Cascades. The snow is now gone from the trail, although some patches remain around and above the lakes. The meadow part of the trail is quite brushy but you shouldn't have any trouble following the trail. Carry water (very little between the creek near the trailhead and the lakes) and bug dope. Wild flowers are glorious.