Everyone knows the trail is steep, narrow and eroded due to clueless hikers cutting switchbacks (don't be that hiker). Everyone knows about the views. So here is the road and flower report. First, the road, the usual potholey forest road. It doesn't get bad until w/in the last mile to the TH. There you will be glad you splurged on those all-terrain tires as you ascend steeply thru the gnarly water ruts and section of sharp rocks. But, at the TH was the proverbial Prius, a low-slung sedan and a Honda CRV along with the usual Subaru suspects. Flowers: pretty much past their prime on the south facing slope going up the switchbacks. As you gain elevation they get better, lots of bluebells (campanula), paintbrush starting to go to seed but still nice, pearly everlasting, goldenrod in full bloom and some electric purple penstemon. As you come around the corner to the north side, the flower show is as pretty as I've seen on this section of the trail! Meadows of yellow arnica, white valerian, lavender asters with a few orange tiger lilies and red columbine here and there for more color. Truly a Monet painting moment. Lots of small treasures too, phlox, partridge foot and others line the trail. Bugs weren't bad until the top, we hauled out our bug nets so we could eat our lunch in peace. Outhouse hasn't been maintained since covid, use the restrooms at Rockport State Park or the Steelhead Park in Rockport. They have a coded entry panel but it's not functioning, you don't need a code. Also, check out Stilly Coffee located inside the Arlington Pharmacy, great iced mocha and way cheaper than Starbucks. Not open on Sunday tho. Hikeathoning for WTA: give.wta.org/muledeer2025 or go to donate and scroll for me Linda Roe if you are so inclined 

Now is a great time to do this hike! The wildflowers are gorgeous :) We started just after 8am and enjoyed shade from the mountain while ascending the slope. There is very little shade during the afternoon, so sunscreen thoroughly and bring ample water.

The gravel road up is rough in spots, 4WD recommended.

A wonderful hike. You are surrounded by mountains, so the views are gorgeous. Many varieties of wildflowers covered the mountain sides. There were still a few small areas of snow, but it was easy to maneuver around. Much of the hike is on narrow trails, often close to the edge with steep drop-offs so it was difficult to walk and view the scenery. I needed to stop periodically to soak in the beauty of the hike. Bugs were’t too bad . . . until you stopped walking, then they were swarming around you. Toilet at trailhead.

A true classic to be share with others!

Road: Potholes and gravel. All vehicles can drive it but obviously high clearance helps.

TH: Sunday at 1030AM it was full but there's still shoulder parking down the way. There is an unkept pit toilet at the TH.

Trail: The summer foliage is in full bloom! Tons of plant biodiversity. This is the peak time to go. The trail is a constant switchback with minimal shade. However, the views and flowers were spectacular to take a stroll in. Bugs weren't too bad. There are two small snow patches on the back side before the top but they are very easy to navigate. 

Great summer hike, although I could see it being awfully hot as there is a lot of exposure and only occasional wooded shade spots. However, it was one of those days with morning clouds and afternoon clearing, so it worked out pretty great for me!

The road in is getting pretty bad. Potholes all the way up. There is a spot to pull over on the last hairpin, and another one halfway up from that, but I feel if you've made it over the ruts just above the last hairpin, you might as well reach the lot. That being said, the lot seemed pretty full all day. The fact that so many people are willing to cross that much FS rutty road to reach the trailhead says a lot about the popularity of this hike.

I definitely had moments of solitude but by no means felt alone on the ascent. This is partly due to the fact that you can see both the parking lot and the ridgetop from nearly the whole trail. It's a steep set of switchbacks the whole way up. The tread is mostly level and comfortable, but there are a lot of spots where the downhill side is eroded enough that it will give some people pause. A lot of these eroded spots are at the top of places where people have cut off switchbacks. Grr.

Wildflowers--so many wildflowers!--were at their peak, I'd say. There are definitely some fading, and others still budding. You'll also notice some varieties that are further along at the bottom than at the top.

When you reach the ridgetop you definitely notice a change. There are more alpine plants and more exposed rock, the views are in a different direction, and even the weather can be noticeably different. It's very cool, and once you've seen that, it's not a bad turnaround point, but also you're near the top of the trail so might as well finish. (The top of the trail is not the absolute summit, which looks unsafe, but I was a bit disappointed not to get the survey marker.) There is one short section of snow on this section even yet; it's not difficult to cross but I did worry it might have rotten spots.

The marmots at the top were scuttling around when I got there, and one of them gave a whistling concert to the groups passing below. Unfortunately I think that might have been a warning to the other marmots because I didn't see any more after that. The only other wildlife was a ton of butterflies and other pollinators on the wildflower meadows.

Bugs only bothered me when I stopped moving, but I'm old and slow so I had to stop and rest a lot on the way up. One of these days I'll remember the bug spray.

Trail is in great shape overall but could use some TLC. On the way down, there were shouts of "ROCK" when someone dislodged a big one, probably from those eroded points I was talking about. It went a long way down and barely missed another party. I understand the importance of the shouting but I also wonder what you're supposed to do when a rock is hurtling toward you from above.

One family with two young'uns deserve respect for giving their kids a wonderful outdoor adventure that they definitely don't appreciate now but will look back on with fondness, and amazement how mom and dad made it happen.