Mount Si Overview
Mount Si is the most hiked trail in the state of Washington with over 100,000 people using it annually. It is the dominating landmark of the City of North Bend. The summit is 3900 feet and the trail up it involves over 3000 feet of vertical climb. The stunning view from the top includes the Cascades, Snoqualmie Valley, and Mt Rainier.
The three most popular areas to hike are Mount Si, Little Si, and Teneriffe Falls. Click on the buttons in the box below for information including the separate trailheads for each hike.
If you like a little more hiking challenge and want to try the most popular hike in Washington State, it’s Mount Si.
For those looking for a lesser challenge, there’s Little Si next door.
Teneriffe Falls hike is also right next door.
From Snoqualmie Falls, take Highway 202 through North Bend and get on I-90 East. At Exit 32 (436th Avenue) turn right left. In three-tenths of a mile, turn right onto SE Mt. Si Road. Follow it 2.4 miles. The entrance to the trailhead will be on the left. Mid-April to end of October weekends consider taking the shuttle from the North Bend Park and Ride to avoid parking issues.
Here are some beautiful pictures of Mount Si
Mount Si Natural Resources Conservation Area
Enjoy this area year round. It’s close to Seattle yet has views worthy of peaks deeper in the Cascades. In this beautiful area, you can hike, climb, rock climb, trail run, picnic, go birding, or exercise your dog. Also, see nature, mountain goats, foliage, wildflowers, Mt Rainier, a waterfall, a river, or old growth forest. Did you know there are 23 trails in the area, including the one to the Mount Si summit? Little Si trail is a wonderful option for those seeking a little less strenuous hike or when conditions are poor at higher elevations. Take I-90 Exit 32. See some other beautiful photos of this area at https://www.instagram.com/pnwescapes
Mount Si Story
Mount Si figures prominently in a Prometheus story from the Snoqualmie tribe. According to the story, it is the dead body of Snoqualm, the moon. Snoqualm had ordered that a rope of cedar bark be stretched between the earth and the sky. But Fox and Blue Jay went up the rope and stole the sun from Snoqualm. Snoqualm chased them down the cedar rope, but it broke and he fell to his death. Fox then let the sun free in the sky and gave fire to the people.
To the joy of the 100,000 annual hikers, the vastness and legendary tone of the tale is matched by the mountain. Elevating 3100 feet in around four miles, it suits both the novice and the experience hiker along with climbers. The trail itself is tough, but not cruel unlike the parking lot can easily overflow.
Rumors state that if climbers are able to complete the climbing path in under two hours, than they are ready for Washington’s tallest peak. The typical time to start training is in the early spring and the best time to hike is agreed to be from April until November. Those hot summer days are manageable due to the shade that the trail’s trees provide. But just because the mountain is novice friendly it does not mean that the hike will not be challenging.
The trails are dog friendly, although for safety reasons must be kept on a leash.