sauk mountain trail

Be sure to give yourself plenty of time! It isn't an easy hike, but worth every drip of sweat! The views of Mt. Baker are stunning, as is the scenery along the trail. Very peaceful and serene hike.

This whole side trip should be rated "expert" and some parts "just plain crazy". Okay, maybe it's not that bad but it sure isn't for the faint of heart. The 7 miles of narrow dirt logging road, that gains 4,000' in elevation, suffers from a severe lack of places to pull over if you meet another car ... so just hope you don't!! Seriously. The road, which demands your respect, is in reasonably good shape considering except for the last few hundred yards which is just a steep washed-out jeep track. I couldn't make it to the parking area. Leave your RV, MiniVan, or family car at home for this one. I drove up in my 2008 Mustang but I really didn't enjoy it; I recommend a SMALL 4-wheel drive vehicle.As far as the hike goes: it is steep and strenuous but not a killer. Definitely not an outing for the day-tripper and family from suburbia that get exhausted at the mall.The views are great so don't forget your camera!

We hiked this trail late in the afternoon in July 2013. This was a warm-up hike before heading to the North Cascades. Give yourself plenty of time if you hike late in the day, as we were hustling down the trail to beat sundown. Lots of switchbacks and increases in elevation. This trail will get your heart pumping. Great views at the summit. Great flowers and vegetation. Some wildlife.

completed the trail in 3-4 hours (inclusive of the drive). Great views of Mount Baker and most of North Cascade's glaciated peaks. Safe hike and drive although it is on an unpaved road

Wow this hike is beautiful. Wonderful views of the Skagit river, Sauk Lake and Mt. Baker. This is a very busy hike but you can see why. Plenty of opportunity at the end of the switchbacks to allow others to pass. On the drive up and back too, you'll need to use cutouts to allow traffic to pass on the other side. Not much shade at the parking lot if you're leaving your pup in the car. There is a bathroom facility at the beginning of the hike. The elevation gain can be strenuous but plenty of shaded resting spots on the way up.

This hike is justifiably popular, especially with families, given its short distance (about 4 miles RT) and spectacular views. You're on an open hillside with unobstructed views to the south the whole way up, and on a clear day you can see Mts. Baker and Shuksan to the north from the top. The trail is well graded and maintained. The 8-mile gravel road leading up to the top has some serious potholes at the beginning and (especially) near the top, along with a lot of washboard and some gullies at the (many) hair-pin turns, but it's manageable in a conventional car (just take it slow and be prepared for hot brakes on the way down). Parking for about 15 cars at the top, plus a pit toilet. You won't be alone up here, but the experience is worth sharing.

We went in the evening and met some lovely people on the summit. There were patches of snow near the summit but it was still perfectly safe to walk. The Marmots tried to eat our water bottle! We got an amazing photo of them though. Stunning surroundings and colourful wildflowers all the way up. The road up to the car park is long, bumpy and winding, expect it to take 45 minutes if you're in a small car (as we were).

We hiked this trail on June 15, 2013, snow prevented us from driving to the parking area and trailhead so we parked below and hiked the snow field to the trailhead. The wildflowers were just starting to bloom in the areas where the snow had melted. This is a fairly good elevation gain, about 1,200 feet over the 3 1/2 or 4 miles. The trail is not steep because of the abundant switchbacks, the sides of the trail however, drop-off drastically. Not a difficult hike, however if you are bringing small children or anyone who might not pay close attention it might be somewhat of a concern. The service road up toward the trailhead is in good condition.

I like that this trail is relatively easy to find out towards Concrete. It is a trail that I have hiked ever since I was little and it is just as nice to do now as it was back then. There is a little lake (?) on the other side of Sauk Mountain that you can hike down to. Sometimes you can see marmots and of course they are really cute! There is a sign in sheet at the trailhead (at least there used to be). It is a fairly easy hike. I rarely hike and although it is a bit challenging physically, especially on hot days, I would say that most people (even children) would be able to tag along.

Always a spectacular view from the top if it is not too cloudy. Also enjoy the hike to get there, never a disappointment.

Make it to the top! Don't give up it's spectacular. The switchbacks make the steep climb more tolerable. Once you're beyond the many switchbacks it levels out for a bit for a rest and enjoying of the vistas! But keep going to the top because it feels like you can reach out and touch Mt. Baker!

As with most North Cascades hikes, you will walk up to the top of the mountain. A walking stick is nice for the return downhill. If you like wildflowers and are in reasonable shape this is a beautiful hike and you will be so busy admiring flowers all the way up the hill it won't be hard to climb the many switchbacks up to the top. It's best in July and August for the flowers, but the view is always stunning if you aren't in the middle of a cloud. A very popular short trail, expect to share the trail with many others. sometimes if you begin late in a summer afternoon you have it more to yourself.

This is one of the most popular family hikes as well as for a good cardio workout---depending on your pace. It's not long, as Cascade hikes go, (3 miles up---or shorter if you're content with the first look-out). The trail is good enough to run up for those exercise addicts but just as nice for those of us who like to go a slower pace stopping to drink in the beginning-to-end breathtaking views. At the summit you get a 360 degree view of the white hot-heads of Washington with Mt. Baker "right there" of course. If you're daring and have a great sense of balance you can do the tight-rope walk across the thin wedge connecting the popular end of the trail to the highest tip (as benchmarked) just to say you did it. However, if you try but fail....well there's nowhere to go but down. A helicopter will be sent to pick up your remains. Many a brave soul has done it, but I know my limits and am content to sit and marvel at their daring. I don't have acrophobia but some people who make it up are too frightened to come back down. I don't get it, but every summer I see at least one helicopter circling the area for a spot to land to pick up some dizzy soul or somebody who thinks gravity laws don't apply to them and go off the trail and then off the mountain. These are cliffs. They're not dangerous if you stay on the trails. The views are spectacular. The road up has areas of washboard that can start your car chattering into a circle and can be hard to stop or slow when brakes are applied. Parking lot is huge and ready to accommodate you and all your friends. Expect snow on "the backside" through July and on some snowy years all the way through August. But it's usually easy enough to follow the boot trail without problem and the actual peaks to sit and enjoy views and lunch are clear and dry and oh-so-worth the sweat.

This is a popular hike in the Cascade foothills.It takes a couple hours so don't plan on rushing it. Wear good hiking boots and a bring a walking stick. There are dozens of switchbacks which help with the elevation gain. I'm over 60 and did it easily. As you approach the summit the views are absolutely stunning. To the north you look at Mt. Baker and Shuksan, To the west you can see all the way to Puget Sound. Bring a camera and binoculars, water and some snacks so that you can linger at the top.

I love this hike because you get the view all along - not just at the top or the end of the trail! Because it's so out in the open, it's a good hike for a cooler day. Not a lot of shade, but lots of wild flowers, butterflies.