Mount Pilchuck Fire Lookout

5.5 miles roundtrip, offered July 1 - September 30

At a glance: Considered an intermediate hike, Mount Pilchuck is a popular fire lookout located outside the Seattle metro area in the Cascade Mountains. This hike, while challenging, offers panoramic views of the Cascade Mountains, Mount Baker, Mount Rainier and Puget Sound. In short, the views don’t get any better.

What's included: Transport from hotel/home/airbnb, professional guide, entrance fees to Mount Pilchuck State Park, 5.5 mile hike, lunch, snacks, backpack and trekking poles if needed.

$229/person plus 6% online booking fee ($243 total)

We keep our group size small (no more than five plus guide) so you can hike at your own pace and enjoy 1:1 time with our knowledgeable guides.

An adventurous hike with incredible vistas. We'll meet in Seattle and then head towards the Cascade mountains where we'll climb above the clouds for epic views. The trail is moderate with rocks and roots and climbs 2,300’ in a relatively short period. We'll have lunch at the lookout.

Itinerary

7:30 am Depart Seattle (we pick up from your hotel/Airbnb/VRBO/Home)

9:30 am Mount Pilchuck Trailhead

9:30 am - 3 pm Hike/Lunch

5:00 pm Return to Seattle

*Times are approximate. It often depends on how quickly each person hikes, trail conditions and traffic.

About the Hike

This hike has it all; lush mature evergreen forest, granite boulder fields, and panoramic views of the Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound. On a clear day you’ll see two of Washington’s five volcanos towering over the Cascades; Mount Baker and Mount Rainier. While hard to believe one hike could have it all - this one does. 

Mount Pilchuck is an old fire lookout built in 1921. In service until 1961, the lookout now serves as a popular destination for hikers. The trail is the perfect balance of distance (5.5 miles) and elevation gain (2,400’). The highest point on the hike is 5,344’. 

You’ll find this hike both challenging and rewarding. Once we reach the top, we’ll rest and have lunch before heading back down the mountain. You’ll see remnants of the past along the way; an old cable is all that’s left of a cable car that used to haul supplies to the fire lookout and there are old timbers left over from ski resort lodge that operated nearly 60 years ago.