Moderate elevation gain over a 2 mile stretch. The views are beautiful. Trail is in good shape.

Great summer day for a classic greater Seattle area hike! Got started around 10:30am and overall my adventure on this trail wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be on such a gorgeous summer day. The blackberries are starting to come in. The chipmunks scurried about and darted across the trail at the lower elevations (round-trip I had four chipmunk crossings right in front of my feet.) About halfway up the trail I did encounter a small snake that slithered across the trail and went on its merry way. Once I arrived at the ledge there were approximately 20 people sitting up there and enjoying the view while I did as well before heading on my descent. 

With this trail (and the subsequent trip reports) there are usually many mentions of fellow trail users not abiding by the unwritten rules of hiking. Honestly everyone that I encountered today was respectful, friendly, and just seemed to be happy to enjoying the trail, getting outside, and soaking up some sunshine. 

ITEM FOUND - I somehow lost a phone on the way down from the top at Rattlesnake Ledge.

Crowded but convenient.

I hadn’t done this one in a while, and our pothole-friendly car was out of commission, so we gave it a shot. Unfortunately, it was as I’d remembered - so many people that the hike becomes just about navigating the crowds to get to the destination, not about enjoying the journey.

With a 3-year-old, it was a constant struggle of trail etiquette: “Stay on the right, let them pass, oops, pull over, honey, people are coming down, ok, hurry up, they’re waiting for us, hold up! Don’t run up on that dog from behind…” Once we got past the Lower Ledge, the crowds thinned dramatically and we had a little peace on our way to the Middle Ledge, where we called it a day. 

The trail also shows wear and tear from the constant stream of humanity, many of them in groups as large as 20. Nearly every switchback had an eroded path cutting it, and there was at least one spot where it was clear that many different people had strewn used toilet paper and wipes. 

One tip for those who do decide to come, though - don’t assume the lot is full just because there’s overflow! We arrived at 9 AM on a Saturday (I know, our fault; we aimed earlier, but life happened). Probably fifty cars lined the road outside the lot. Just in case, we went in anyway… and there were still tons of parking spots inside the lot! Always worth checking.