This isn't a difficult hike, but you want stiff soled boots and a decent first aid kit since the trail is not a perfect path, but instead has roots and rocks and all of the fun stuff. That being said, it is only 2.9 miles from the trailhead to the lookout and the entire out and back has only a little over 1600 ft of elevation gain in it.
This is a VERY pretty place. You begin the trail walking along Mowich Lake before you come to the trail junction to Eunice Lake and the lookout. We were lucky enough to have some friends on the trail just after the junction as a deer and her offspring were grazing in a switchback corner. we were glad to see them since someone had scratched the word BEAR in the trail just after the junction.
We cruised along and were at Eunice Lake in under an hour and made the lookout in 1:15. We might have stayed there a while to enjoy the views were it not for the mosquitoes, horse flies and a chipmunk who was determined to invade out packs if we walked away from them so we bailed after 10 minutes and made our way down.
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| Note the bugs on Pam's hat and in the frame. |
There was significant traffic on the trail by the time we passed Eunice Lake. We would scream along until the next uphiking group and then take a rest to allow them to pass and then scream along some more. Luckily, there is some uphill to do on the way back so we weren't always the yielders or we might still be there.
Like every popular trail, the average hiker on this trail is totally unprepared and is wearing the perfectly wrong clothes. I get so I just try not to look.
We made the return trip in 1:05 and headed down the washboard for home. For a late start, we were back in Tacoma eating lunch after hitting a car wash at 1:00 PM so not bad at all. I would certainly hike this again though I would likely want to start a lot earlier. By the time we returned to the trailhead cars were spread a solid 1/3 mile up and down the road.
Be very well and more soon....
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