In 1883, the new Seattle-Walla Walla Toll Road (now I-90) completed a much-needed connection across the Cascade Mountains between the east and west sides of the state. It also opened the area to logging, annihilating many of Washington’s iconic evergreen trees. Today, hikers and backcountry enthusiasts traverse regrown (and in some instances, currently logged) forests. Yet remnants of the past remain.
A controversial mid-1900s local character named Harry Gault had a large hand in clearing the mountainside. His business model involved purchasing rights to land that didn’t interest larger outfits and practicing outlawed techniques, to the chagrin of the Forest Service. He had a reputation for logging areas that others thought too difficult, often to the point of decimation. Hence the name, “Dirty Harry.”
But while Harry might have loved destroying the land for personal gain, hikers willing to explore history on foot are now rewarded with a tree-filled mountainside trail up his old road. Largely recovered from the logging heyday, Dirty Harry’s Balcony and Peak, rehabilitated sections of the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Forest, are popular among Seattle area locals today, although they’re less busy than other nearby trails. Make sure to budget enough time: This isn’t a quick morning walk—the shortest option, to the balcony, is still 4.4 miles with 1, 600 feet of elevation gain, which takes an average of two to three hours.
I’d heard of the trail for years but had never tackled it until last summer. My dog Louie and I left home around 5am to beat Seattle’s weekend warrior crowds. Luckily, the trailhead is located right off I-90, and only a few other cars were parked when we pulled in.
We took the gravel path from the lot through the forest and quickly emerged onto the road. Initially, I thought we’d taken a wrong turn before spotting a trailhead map across the river. A quick crossing revealed the trail’s official start. It began innocently enough, like so many Washington hikes, with a half-mile stroll along the Snoqualmie River before taking a steep turn up the mountain.
Note that there are many climbing routes off the trail; the main one is evident enough, but if you hit a seemingly dead-end, you’ve probably veered off.
After a little over a mile, we arrived at an overlook of the surrounding mountains. It was late June, so the flowers had only just started popping up. This isn’t the balcony, though; we still had another mile until we arrived at the east-facing viewpoint.
Once we had snapped the obligatory pics, we headed back down to the trail and continued on with the adventure of the day, finding Dirty Harry’s Museum. The name is a bit of a misnomer, as it’s more archeological ruins than museum (no info plaques to be found), but it’s a fun scavenger hunt for those up for an extra excursion.
Eventually, we arrived at another viewpoint with a log bench. That’s how I knew we were close, based on the trail reports I’d read online. We paralleled Museum Creek for about half a mile before I noticed a small circular opening through a bush on the right. Neither Louie nor I were particularly convinced at first, as we picked our way through a tunnel of trees where branches nearly took my eye out every few steps. Right as I felt like maybe we should cut our losses, we made it! A small clearing revealed the “museum,” which consists of Harry’s rusted-out truck and old equipment, where he allegedly held logging shows.
Please note the museum is not an official trail (hence its overgrown nature), so you’ll need to have basic trail-finding skills. Per usual hiking etiquette, leave no trace and let others enjoy the museum-finding process.
For those really fit (my aging dog in the summer heat was not), you can continue another couple of miles to the peak.
Trail Stats:
Balcony: 4.4 miles round-trip, 1,600 feet of elevation gain
Museum: 5.6 miles round-trip, 2,600 feet of elevation gain
Peak: 9.2 miles round-trip, 3,326 feet of elevation gain
Local Hiker Tips:
- Most trails in the Cascades reopen sometime in May; however, depending on the snowmelt and road maintenance, it’s always best to check. The WTA website has great trail reports at the bottom of each hike synopsis.
- A Discover Pass is required to park at the trailhead. Take exit 38 off I-90, follow signs for the Fire Training Academy, and drive past it and under the freeway overpass.
- Arrive early to avoid parking issues and beat the heat.
- Feel free to bring four-legged friends, dogs are allowed on-leash.