Went on Saturday evening at 7pm. 1.7mi to the summit, quick pace and it took me about 35 minutes to get there. Coming down was about the same in the dark. Two parties coming down on my way up and two other parties going up. When I reached the top, there was another group there and some volunteers at the lookout. It was very peaceful.
Trail condition: 4/5 Dusty for the most part with lots of loose dirt. Sheltered in the first mile, open for the next 1/4 mile, and then in the forest for the remainder. This weekend was cooler, and it was windy at the top, I'm glad I brought a jacket. No bugs.
Trail difficulty: 2/5 Moderate hike. If you've done High Rock, this is similar in length and elevation gain but easier because of the switchbacks.
Navigation: 5/5 Easy to follow the trail without map. After 0.7 miles, there is a sign to keep you on trail. In the forest at the top, there are some sticks blocking a fork to keep you on the right path.
Parking: 2/5 Tiny parking lot. Depending on how people park, you could get anywhere between 7 to 10 cars. You have about 6 miles of forest service road after turning off the pavement. If you are an experienced driver, you can take a sedan to the top without a problem. A couple of big potholes, but avoidable with care.
Features: 2/5 Lots of switchbacks. Some small wildflower blooms. The view at the top was magnificent today. Could see Rainier very well and you had 360 views of everything else. The volunteers at the lookout were very friendly and knowledgeable, it was great meeting them.
Family friendly: 3/5 Family friendly to an extent. I think the trail itself can be done by children, but there is lots of loose soil and there needs to be proper supervision as there are some sketchy areas.
Overall: 4/5 Simple hike to the top with great reward. Would recommend going for sunset but remember to bring a headlamp.
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