Sauk Mountain — Friday, Jun. 30, 2023

The accessibility of the high country right from the parking lot is a huge draw for this trail. Wildflowers are starting to bloom in earnest with a mix of Columbia Tiger Lily, phlox, columbine, penstemon, paintbrush and currently peaking in their bloom Sitka Valerian. The kids were excited for the trail after a bakery breakfast in Concrete and my son charged up the switchbacks looking to get to the snow, rocks, pikas, marmots, and alpine scenery.
Games to help continue the motivation included animal guessing games, guessing the number of switchbacks, and flower identification.
This trail is challenging for young kids and I kept my 2 year old in the backpack for the majority of the trail, though she was perfectly happy with snacks and scenery. There are a few areas of concern on the trail with erosion leading to tricky footwork, two snow crossings, and some rocky cliffy scrambles. Encouraging kids to challenge themselves with some guardrails is important for confidence and my son has had some mental and physical growth in seeking new adventures as has my daughter. I think this trail is within reach of most kids with some support.
The views on the trail are hard to beat and everyone on this busy trail was respectful and friendly. Truly a great day in the mountains. My daughter has been very excited to search for pikas and this was a great spot to find them in addition to a ruffed grouse, bald eagles, marmots, chipmunks, and a garter snake. The last half mile of road is bumpy but fine for most cars.