Little Si

Just came back from the climb a few hours back. I was in Seattle over the long weekend and thought that hiking at the nearby Mt. Si would be a good way to end the weekend. I actually wanted to do the normal Mt. Si hike; but as luck would have it, I lost my way and ended up in the parking lot where the Little Si trail starts.

The trail itself is not strenuous and doesn't take much time. I took about ~100 minutes for the entire hike. I'm not a regular hiker, so expect the regulars to take even lesser time. I was alone and did not take a break except for a 3 minute one at the summit. There wasn't much of a crowd; dogs moving about unleashed was a bit scary though.

I wish there was more parking space and clear indications to the start of the trail paths from some distance away (so that one doesn't get lost). Otherwise, it was a well spent 3 hours away from the hotel.

Just finished this hike about two hours ago.  I am out of shape so the trail was a little challenging to me; parts of the trail were a little steep for my taste.  The whole trip took me about 3 hours, including my rest at the top of the mountain.  There is some really beautiful scenery on the trail.

Did this hike 5/14/10. Perfect weather. Trail had just about everything. Rocky steps, long flat spots, filtered sunlight, a creek, and lots of work done to the trail. It's a popular hike, so expect to be passing a lot of people. There are two parking lots. The main lot right at the trailhead holds about 2 dozen cars, while the second lot holds 4 dozen more cars. The second lot is just after you cross the orange bridge and there is a short trail to the other lot & trailhead.

At the top, there are plenty of places to sit and eat lunch and not be rubbing elbows with everybody else. The trail was also loaded with dogs of all kinds and not one pile of dog doo to avoid, so lots of responsible owners out there. We were not pushing it, so It took about 3 hours up and down.

This trail was great. When we got to the top it was hailing on April 3 rd 2010. I reccoment this trail for people 12 and up and for people who love the mountains.

Trying this weekend..

I did this hike with a friend and it was a nice climb. There are hilly areas but there are also flat stretches that give you a nice break. Also, there is a perfect amount of shade and direct sunlight ratio. The view is worth it, and a good place to have a snack or eat lunch. I really enjoyed little si, it didnt tire be out, but the view gives you that satisfying feeling that hikes tend to give.

I have climbed Little Si several times and never tire of it. It is a pretty easy climb as the incline is not bad at all. The last time I hiked it was March, 2009 and was a bit worried that I would be cold but ended up shedding my fleece part of the way up. It is definitely busier in the summer months but have never found it to be so crowded that it is an issue. What is an issue is the parking lot - very small and nearly always full. Part way up the ascent there is a rock climbing area on the left and occasional views of Mt. Si. At the top there is a narrow view in one direction of forest scenery and in the other direction there is a wider view of North Bend and a river (fork of the Snoqualmie?) This should be a pretty easy hike for anyone in half-decent shape. Round trip takes about 2.5 hours tops. I will do this again and again. This hike is the same distance round trip as Tiger Mountain but with only half the elevation gain so feels much, much easier. Did Tiger yesterday and boy were my knees feeling it by the time I got back down.

This is a perfect quick hike. Took me and a buddy 1 hr to ascend with a couple 2 min picture ops. We started at 7:30 AM Sat morning in late March and saw no one until on our way down. Nice view. On the way down, took a 30 min detour to scramble the rock slide - nice, but be careful. Overall, a great quick hike. Not too strenuous but a good workout.

Overall time was about 2.5 hr.

Ryan

Just moved to Seattle last month and wanted to have a nice easy hike to test out the great Northwest.  Little Si was perfect for a peaceful stroll, especially on a beautiful day.   I am a beginner hiker and thought is was not difficult by any means.  Next time will definitely try something like Mt. Si, a little more challenging.  It's great to bring a little lunch and enjoy the view at the top!  have fun and be safe....

I loved this hike. I thought it was beautiful at the summit, and even though its a shorter hike, you still work up a sweat on the steeper parts. A great weekend trip for the family, beginning hiker, or anyone that wants spectacular veiws, an easy trail, and an overall good workout will just love this trail.

I just did this hike for training purposes because it was close.  I am just starting to carry a pack, so need some miles with weight.  I am in shape but not used to a pack.  This hike took me about two hours round trip including gawking at the scenery and a short stretch at the top.  It gives a lot of bang for your buck; nice forest with huge, cabin-size, mossy boulders next to vertical rock cliffs, then a good climb to the top that gets your heart rate going.  Pretty good views at the top of Mt. Si and North Bend, but my favorite part was definitely the woods.  Kind of surreal.  Nice cool hike on a very hot day.  Most of it was shaded.  I was pretty sweaty from the workout at the end and feeling pretty proud of myself, then saw hikers carrying babies and a whole pack of little kids running around.  Humbling.  I guess this hike is good for families, if your kids climb like mountain goats.

My wife and I drove up to Little Si this morning and the signs said the trail was closed.  There was construction on the bridge nearby and also construction in the parking lot.  I'd check before I went up there... We did Rattlesnake Ledge instead.

I recently moved to Seattle from Dallas, and so it was a great experience on this hike. It was a first of a kind for me, so the excitement bar was kinda always too high! The views from the top were breath taking, and it was well worth the 3 hrs we took to go atop. (ya, most of us were newbies). Some sections were a litte steep and at times were really questioned "how far is it". But when we finally made it, it was well worth the sweat . Downhill was relatively much faster and less tiring. Make sure you take drink and food along (again, as newbies, didn't do any thing like that!)

I'd say, it's definitely a hike to try out, especially if you havent done many, or are doing with little kids and family.

We hiked Little Si on the 4th, and it was great fun.  The first thing I noticed about this trail is that the parking lot at the trail head is a little too small to accommodate all the crowd that comes in there.  But it is quite easy to find parking along the road, so that was not a big deal.

This one, unlike other trails like Rattlesnake Ledge, has relatively unmaintained and narrow trail paths.  It's pretty "gravely" in the beginning and evens out as you proceed further.  The grade is not very steep, and is something a beginner can handle.  You are surrounded by enough vegetation about 10 minutes into the hike, so the heat wasn't an issue.

It took us about an hour and a half to get to the top.  The view from the top, while not spectacular, is pretty good.  You get a panoramic view of the entire snoqualmie valley, Mount Si and Rattlesnake Ledge.

In all, it was a pretty good hike.  Nice workout!

(oh, and the little restroom at the trail head is in desperate need of some maintenance.  Someone should notify the ranger station about that!)

Go hiking more often is one of my resolution this year.   This was my first hike this year (1/6/07) and took 1 hr 10 min to top and another 1 hr to down.  No snow in the trail, just  wet.    I joined this site also and appreciate all information.

We did the Little Si in late October, 2006.  It was a rainy day, so we hiked with ponchos and an umbrella.  The fallen leaves were beautiful at this time.  The hike traversed a nice variety of scenery.  As we hiked, we went through patches of heavy rain, fog, and hail, which made for an interesting day.  Nearing the top, there were a few tricky climbs that required hands as well as feet.  The vista at the top was nice. When we arrived it was 100% fogged-up, nothing to see, but then after about 5 minutes it cleared completely.  5 minutes later it was again lost in fog-- very surreal.  The trip down was a bit scary in places with the rain and the slippery rocks.  Took maybe 2.5 hours to get up, definitely less than hour to get down.

A 70 year old birthday/father's day gift by my daughter and her two children, 10 and 12.  Beautiful hike through green, trees, rocks.  I'm not in shape, and it took us 2 hrs, 15 minutes to the top, casual.  Then 1 hr, 15 minutes down.  All but my daughter were tired, but the pictures were great, and the memories, well, memorable.

Great little hike, about two hours round trip.  A little steep at the start to get you warmed up and then a nice easy hike from there on.  Recommend doing this one early in the day; this trail can get pretty crowded cause it's so close to I-90 and parking fills up fast.

I love this trail, but if you're in shape it might be too easy. So, try running it. I summit in 30 - 40 minutes and run back down in 25 for about a 1hr round-trip. Nice workout!

I took a couple friends on this hike. I'm not in top physical condition, but in much better condition than the two that came with me (one just quit smoking, too). It took us 3 hours total - and we had a nice long comfortable stop for lunch. By the time we reached the top it was about 80 degrees out, and I'd only gone through 16 ounces of water or so. The very beginning was a little steep, but the rest of the trail extrememly reasonable. Saw one group with trekking poles, but they were not necessary at all - unless you have bad knees or something. Also saw elderly people and a little girl learning Portugese from her mom - not even close to out of breath. Very fun trail and a good view at the top! Relaxing!
We did this on a Thursday morning - but the later it got - the more people there were. A lot of "hello's" and head nods to go with.

I did this hike a couple of days ago on a hot Saturday afternoon (80-85)in August. It took me 1.5 to get up there with frequent stops for water; 0.5h for admiring the view at the top and about 45 mins for the hike down. Overall, the terrain is easy to handle except some slipery parts and infrequent climbs on rocks and wood. The hike down is a breeze however you need to watch for moss on rocks and trees; can get pretty slippery. Do note that it is a crowded trail and parking can be problematic. Bring water, camera and some food for enjoying the view up top. Happy hikin'

Having lived in Seattle for many years, I'd avoided this trail in favor of ones further away, longer, etc. Did I miss out! It's a busy trail, but never felt like we were boxed in by people even on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The scenery is varied and interesting, with pretty little valleys, then ends with a gorgeous view of the mountain peaks. The rocks at the end serve as good lunch spots. It's a great choice for spontaneous outings.

Well marked trail. There is gravel put down in the lower portions and even a bench to rest on part of the way up if you need it. You can decide how easy or hard you want to make this hike. On the way up there are mossy rock gardens with fallen old growth trees. The summit is a rocky clearing. There are great panoramic views of North Bend and the Snoqualmie Valley. It was drizzling on and off on the day I took the hike and (Big) Mount Si was obscured by clouds. The forested trail provided shelter from the light rain. There was light traffic on the trail and we had the summit to ourselves. It was a week day.

Had my hiking sticks in my pack the wholes time. Barely broke a sweat on a hot day with a beenie on. not a good workout. you will meet plenty of old ladies and men, and lot's of pups. Good Views, fun people, .....kind of like the "mall of hikes"

This is a good hike for younger children. It starts off quite steep then flattens off quite quickly. The climb to the top isn’t too steep but there are lots of rock scrambles places for the kids to 'climb on'. (Adults can just walk up.) Near the top there is a cliff which over looks Mt Si, where you would need to watch younger children carefully. My 2 year old loved the walk she rode all the way up; then climbed, jumped, hopped and ran most of the way down. Slept like a log in the car on the way home. Priceless! A nice Sunday afternoon jaunt...

Hiked this today, and it was a fun, short hike. We made it to the top and back in under 2.5 hours, and that was a very leisurely pace. The views are nice, and it's interesting in both directions. It was busy but not crowded today (a nice day in March), but with many more people in-season it could get a bit unpleasant.

They don't get much easier than this if you are in good shape. One way to spice this hike up is to find an alternate and more scenic route to the top. The best place to start is where the rock climbers on the far right. :) There is a fun trail that leads to the top, but it's moderately dangerous and requires short spurts of rock climbing, so if you don't like scrambling, don't try it. From the top, you can take the "boring" trail back. Great view from the top.

did this hike with the kids ( 9yo and 6 yo) ,they really enjoyed the walk. the hike is not too strenuous and interesting along the way. good views at the top