For 4th of July, I went up to Dirty Harry’s Peak in the Cascades with a few friends after it was suggested to be less crowded than some other more popular hikes around the Seattle area.
I’d done it a couple months back and forgotten how hard it was. It’s a 9.2 mile round trip hike with 3300 ft elevation gain – perfect for stunning views if the weather is clear (spoiler alert: it wasn’t). It took about five hours (9AM – 2PM) at a moderate pace and the trail was very sparsely populated with only one other group at the peak. You can do a shorter version of the hike by just going to Dirty Harry’s Balcony, which still has great views, and is only 4 miles round trip and far less steep. The trails are well maintained and it wasn’t too muddy – just a little slick from water in a few places.
When we hiked this trail last in May, the half mile leg was covered in snow and I (unwisely) summited without crampons or poles, which was do-able but a bit dicey. This time the full trail was clear and, other than being a strenuous hike, there were no issues beyond the clouds obscuring our view and just a couple of mosquitoes.
It was lovely getting to come back later in the season and see all the wildflowers! There were so many different types. Another bonus of coming on a misty day was being able to take a bunch of spooky, atmospheric forest pictures. I really need to invest in a good camera.
The hike is dog friendly and our new friend Olivier came along with us, totally crushed the hike, and fell asleep immediately after getting to the car (I did the same after lunch). There did seem to be quite a few hikers who had their dogs off leash (we didn’t) but they were all very friendly!
Fun-sized: A Travel and Life Blog 