Little Si has a special place in my heart, because the first time we hiked it was right around when we decided to move to Seattle. It’s such a fantastic, quick hike get away from the city. If you’ve lived in the Seattle area any length of time and enjoy hiking, chances are you have already found yourself here (or will find yourself here soon!)
Little Si Trail Review
Hiked: mid April
Distance from Seattle: 40 minutes
Accessibility: Entirely highway and paved road
Length: 4.5 miles miles round trip
Difficulty: moderately easy. It’s short without a crazy amount of elevation gain.
Crowds: fairly populated
Trail views: mountain views towards the top of the trail, sweeping views of the I-90 area
Overall rating: 7/10
The parking area for Little Si can fill up quickly. Even going on a week day after work, there was fairly limited parking available. You’ll need a Discover Pass to park here, too.
The trail starts with a gentle climb and quickly enters the trees. The first portion of the trail is nicely maintained, easy ground to cover.
Because it was spring time, the trail was a bit wet and muddy in parts. This was in stark contrast to when we hiked here in September, when the trail was so dry in areas that it was even a bit dusty.
The second portion of the hike is in the really lovely forest. It continues to gently incline through the area. As you get higher, the trail gets rockier and “root-ier”. There are also several trails that branch out from this area to other hikes and bouldering areas.
The summit area is great for a snack and a few photos before you head back down. While the views out towards the valley and I-90 are maybe more popular, my favorite views are the ones looking back at Mount Si and the forest.
Little Si is such a great little hike for when you really want to get outside, have a bit of a view, but not commit to a whole day excursion. It’s definitely a classic!
Elizabeth Seeks 