Mount Pilchuck State Park

Located in the North Cascade area, and it’s a 5.4 miles roundtrip.
Northwest Forest Pass is required, so visit the information center or buy it in advance online.
With a gain of 2,300ft, it offers 360-​degree panoramic views of Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainer and the Olympics.
First mile was quite easy and shady because of the trees. The rest of the hike consists of uphill and rock climbing. You will depart the forest and eventually reach a clearing where you can see tons of trees below. On a clear day, you can easily see the fire lookout at the summit. Great reward at the end, and soak in the views on top of the lookout! Quite scary climbing up/​down the stairs if you’re afraid of heights.
Quite interesting knowing that this lookout was constructed in 1921, and it was renovated many times. Now, it’s still standing and serves as a proud landmark for many locals and visitors!
The drive: We followed the given coordinates on WTA website, and we printed most of all the directions for preparation. After passing the bridge on Mountain Loop Hwy, make a right on Mount Pilchuck Road and another right on FR42. 6.8 miles of this is dirt muddy road. But you’re on the right path if you encounter Heather Lake. The last mile will contain potholes and it is unpaved. Coordinates: 48.0621,-121.8107

Mount Pilchuck was an exciting prospect for me, so exciting that I chose it as my last trail before moving out of state. It’s somewhat challenging and promises 360 degree views of surrounding peaks from a fire lookout on the summit. Bring it.
I set out and made my way through Granite Falls and up towards the trailhead. The road is in surprisingly poor condition. It’s potholed to the point they are nearly unavoidable and despite a steady speed of less than 5 mph, I managed to hit one hard (which broke my passenger window’s regulator – a $ 300 repair). Sure, mountain roads get potholed; I’m an experienced hiker, I get this, but this road was considerably rougher than is typical.
At the trailhead you immediately realize you will not be afforded an ounce of solitude, no time to make one with nature, no birdsong and silence. Because the lot was beyond full, cars scattered everywhere. I wondered if I had inadvertently pulled into a Costco parking lot on a Sunday afternoon. Indeed, the hike both up and back down was so full of folks that the ability to enjoy nature was hampered.
And the effects of a trail this heavily populated are obvious. There are horrible and noticeable trail erosion and compaction issues. At some point repairs were attempted but that has resulted in visible webbing and tarping in several spots. Where repairs have never been attempted you see signs of flooding and mudding.
The other effect of overuse here is invasive trail marking. There are signs everywhere – metal signs that resemble those seen on the freeway, bright red and proclaiming «Wrong Way.» There are numerous ground markers that point to the parking lot, robbing the trail of it’s inherent woodsy feel. And, perhaps most disturbing, someone has seen fit to spray paint arrows on trees and rocks. What happened to using ahu or other more appropriate trail marking techniques?
There is a silver lining up top. If you skip the fire lookout and instead locate a semi-​secluded ledge, you can enjoy a phenomenal view before fighting the masses back down.

I’ve been on a few hikes in the North Cascades, Snoqualmie Pass, and Mt. Rainier areas, and this was by far one of my favorite hikes!
The hiking trail had more of a variety than most trails, and so it was more fun to hike. Most hikes will eventually start feeling like a chore to me, and get boring, but I legitimately enjoyed this trail! You start out on a foresty trail, which eventually becomes a clearing and a boulder field. There aren’t too many signs, but there will be the occasional orange marker flag to guide you. My friends and I went during the fall, when there was no snow, and it was dry. Definitely be careful depending on the weather conditions though; I’ve heard there have been accidents in the past. I can see how it can be easy to get lost if there’s snow, that’s why there are signs pointing you back to the lot. Towards the end of the hike, you’ll climb up some boulders to reach the fire tower lookout. Definitely a nice end to the hike, and a nice spot to snack and chill while enjoying the view!
NOTE: A Northwest Forest Pass is needed for parking ($ 5 for a day pass)! Also, I would recommend mapping out the drive beforehand, since service might be spotty as you get closer to the trail. The last mile drive towards the trail is also pretty bumpy (i.e. potholes), so the mile felt like it went on forever.