"I would definitely recommend this trip to a friend."
The Green Mountain Lookout trail starts innocently enough, climbing moderately through old trees. The climbing gets more serious, though, and gains 2000 feet in the first 2.5 miles. That’s the easy part.
"Up" is the key word for the final 1.5 miles of trail as it gains another 1000 feet on open slopes to reach the summit. The first fire lookouts climbed this route frequently, back in 1919--it was a 20-mile trek from the Sauk River, before the road was built--and continued to watch for fires from this vantage point until 1980. More recently the cabin was badly in need of repairs, until renovation work began in 1999.
In the summers of 1999 and 2000, workers and their equipment occupied most of what little space there is at the top. Throngs of day hikers parked themselves alongside the trail and gaze at the expansive views — Mt. Baker, Glacier Peak, and countless Cascade summits, above acres of old-growth forest. Backpackers camp at the small lakes in a basin at 5500 feet, just visible from the lookout.
Getting there: From State Route 530, turn off on Suiattle River Road, Forest Road 26. Drive 20 miles, then turn left on Forest Road 2680. Go another five miles to the trailhead. Northwest Forest Pass required. Dogs are not allowed in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. No fires.
Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions.
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