Skyline Trail Loop, Paradise Glacier — Monday, Jul. 28, 2025

We had a fabulous hike on the Skyline Loop trail out of Paradise. Plan on adding an extra mile or 2 to your hike if you arrive at Paradise after 7:30AM. Parking is a premium on a hot sunny day. Cars lined the road for a good mile on the approach and descent drive mid day. We started in a counter clockwise loop at 10:45. There were only 2 short snow sections to navigate, otherwise the entire trail was dry and dusty. Trail traffic is what you’d expect super busy. On the loop itself You didn’t hike more than a couple minutes before you’d passing another group of hikers going both directions. I estimate we saw a couple thousand hikers plus. Taking the side spur out to Paradise Glacier was the only trail reprieve where you felt you had the mountain to yourself. Wildflowers were absolutely spectacular. The show starts as you step on the trail and continued throughout. We saw spirea, aster, arnica, penstemon, bistort, paint brush, shooting stars, monkey flower, heather, valerian, soapwort, phlox, glacier lilies, anemone, evening primrose, cusick speedwell, fleabane daisies, cinquefoil and more.  Pesky chipmunks and squirrels were begging for food throughout. Marmots sightings were limited to a few. As you returned to the trailhead the paved trail sections were excruciatingly painful on the descent. Another glorious trail day with friends.