Day Hike - Iron Goat Trail

We parked at the Wellington trailhead. Out and back on the same trail. By starting at the Wellington trailhead rather than the trailhead at the Interpretive Site we avoiding having to climb the steep switchbacks.

The directions to the Wellington trailhead are correct. Drive to mile post 64.4 going east bound on HWY 2. The road was not marked, but easy to find. As suggested by the Iron Goat trail guide book, we drove past the trailhead, turned around at Stevens Pass and went west on HWY 2 and took a right onto the unmarked road. If you try to take a left when traveling east, there is a very limited sight distance for oncoming traffic.

There was lots of parking at the trailhead, when we arrived we were the only cars there. Privy was open. The trail was a bit overgrown but easy to follow. Some nettles on the trail. Lots of interpretive signs and artifacts to look at. There was fresh bear scat in the middle of the trail about half way to Windy Point. 10T 639052 5287224. We decided to bring out the bear bell & wear it for the rest of the hike. At about 2.5 miles, there is a tunnel and the trail appears to be lost. The trail goes on a ledge to the left of the tunnel. It is about 2.5 feet wide. It is short, there is a little drop off, however if you fell you would not be falling far. Everyone made it with no problem. We stopped at Windy Point, but kept going to find a better lunch spot since it was in the direct sun. We went to the west end of the Windy Point tunnel and ate lunch there in the shade. We returned on the same trail back to the cars.

We saw columbine, tiger lilies, other flowers and lots of butterflies. We saw the bear scat, but no bear.

We left the Monroe P&R at 8:00 AM, started hiking about 9:20 AM, and returned to the cars about 2:30 PM. We stopped at the Interpretive Site on the way back in the cars.

According to GAIA track, 6.56 miles, 421 ft gain, 4 hour 45 minutes.