Looking for a shorter loop hike at Little Mountain Park?
Check out my review of the Bonnie & Clyde Loop if you’re limited on time!
LOCATION
Little Mountain Park is located in Mount Vernon, Washington, a few miles east of I-5 off exit 225
LENGTH
approximately 3 miles (shorter or longer variations are possible)
DIFFICULTY
Easy/moderate with one short, steep strenuous section (this can be avoided by taking a longer but gentler route). In general, trails at Little Mountain Park are hilly. Longer trails have a gentle slope, while shorter trails can be quite steep. The dirt trails are well-maintained, but can get muddy. We visited shortly after a wind storm, so there were a few downed trees and branches on the trail, but all were easily passable.
WE HIKED IT
September, 2021, around 2 hours
CURRENT INFO
We created our own route for this hike, which is one of the great things about Little Mountain Park — there are so many choices! Good info about the Bonnie & Clyde Loop (which we hiked in the past and is also included on this hike) is available on the WTA (Washington Trails Association) website. You can also find good information about Little Mountain, and download the park’s trail app, on the Mount Vernon city website. I highly recommend the trail app, as navigating the park’s many trails can be confusing if you’re unfamiliar with Little Mountain.
GOOD TO KNOW
- It’s free to park at Little Mountain. For this hike, we parked at the lower lot near the park entrance. Because of a recent windstorm, the road was closed to car traffic shortly past this point, but typically you can drive all the way to the summit.
- Port-a-potties and garbage bins are available in the parking lot and at a few other points along the road.
- Pets on leash are welcome on hiking trails.
- Many trails at Little Mountain are multi-use, and allow both mountain bikers and hikers. A few trails are for mountain bikes only, and these can be quite challenging. For easier bike trails, check out the mountain bike skills course near the lower parking lot. Maps near the trailhead the indicate the difficulty level for different routes.
- Always follow Leave No Trace principles.
HIGHLIGHTS
Little Mountain is a wonderful park for those living in the Mount Vernon area, offering an easy escape into the woods with a wide variety of trails. On a clear day, head to the summit for wide-ranging views from two distinct lookouts. We visited on a cloudy day, so skipped the summit, but the forest here is beautiful and rejuvenating in any weather.
THE KIDS’ TAKE
The hikes at Little Mountain Park are great for kids — not too long, and just challenging enough to feel like a real hike. Be aware that there are a few short yet incredibly steep trails, one of which we hiked on this visit. Older kids and experienced hikers may not mind this (and may even enjoy the challenge), but these segments can be hard on younger kids. Our five-year-old made it up the trail titled “Up Only”, but it was far from easy. Fortunately, it is easy to avoid these trails and stick with the more moderate ones. For a shorter hike without any super-steep ascents, check out my review of the Bonnie & Clyde Loop.
As it was, our five-year-old recovered from the steep trail (after a snack, of course) and had a lot of fun on the longer route back down. A recent storm meant there were many downed leaves and branches to discover and play with along the trail.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE
Since Little Mountain is a quick drive off I-5, it’s a good spot to stop and stretch your legs if you’re on a longer road trip. Check out my review of the Bonnie & Clyde Loop if you’re looking for a shorter hike.
Mount Vernon has a wide range of restaurants available for a post-hike meal. Little Mountain Park is also close to La Conner, a cute town along the Swinomish Channel offering a quaint waterfront to explore. Another nearby hike to consider is the Skagit Wildlife Area (preferably not during hunting season), and campers can stay at Bay View Campground. Further west, head to Whistle Lake on Fidalgo Island for excellent hiking, swimming, and paddling.
Our Experience
While visiting family in Mount Vernon, we took the opportunity to hike nearby at Little Mountain Park. It was almost a year since our last visit, and this time we decided to hike a little further and try some new trails. That turned out to be a good choice. With the park road closed due to a recent windstorm, the only available parking lot was the lower one, just outside the main gate. This meant a longer hike was required to reach the summit. Of course, if the summit isn’t your ultimate goal, it’s easy to do a short loop hike near the lower parking lot instead.
We, however, were headed for the summit. Maybe. At any rate, we would get close. Similar to our last visit, the day was cloudy, not the best weather for taking in the views. Wisely, I had downloaded the interactive trail app for Little Mountain Park ahead of time, which gave us the flexibility to design our own route as we went.
The trail started off easily enough. We headed out from the trailhead near the parking lot entrance, following the gentle switchbacks on “Rooty”. Soon we came to a junction with another trail commonly labeled as “Up Only” on trail maps. Whether that is the official name of the trail, or merely a warning that you should not attempt to hike it downhill, I’m not sure. But I am sure of this: calling Up Only merely “steep” is a gross understatement. This trail tackles the mountain straight on, no switchbacks. Switchbacks are for wimps! We managed, but it wasn’t easy, particularly for five-year-old T.
For T, Up Only was the straw that nearly broke the camel’s back. He laid down on the dirt, seemingly unable to move. I encouraged his older brother, J, and Michael to go on ahead while I waited until T was ready to continue. Miraculously, he recovered enough to make it up the trail while holding tight to my hand.
Steep though it may be, Up Only is also very short. In less than one quarter or a mile, we reached a junction with “Service Road”. We decided to turn right and continue toward the summit. Before long, we encountered another intersection. To the left, a trail led steeply uphill to the summit. We, however, were not about to force T onto another mercilessly steep path. I referred to the map on the trail app, and we opted to continue straight, bypassing the summit. On such an overcast day, the view was less important than our family’s mental well-being.
The trail was smooth and flat as we rounded the summit on the Sidewinder trail. At the next intersection, we stayed to the right, avoiding the switchbacks that lead to the top. Almost immediately, we we reached another junction where we again veered right, taking us onto the Bonnie & Clyde trail. At this point, the Bonnie & Clyde trail begins a slow descent back down Little Mountain.
As we made our way down, the trail intersected with the Julieann and West Loop trails. We took a right onto West loop, then turned left almost immediately after to rejoin the Bonnie & Clyde trail. This is the section that passes the abandoned car for which the trail was named. While I doubt Bonnie and Clyde ever drove it, it’s clear that the rusted remnants of this vehicle have seen better days. These days, it leads a quiet life as a trailside oddity here in Little Mountain Park.
T was in high spirits now, although he preferred a more leisurely pace. And why not? It was a beautiful day to walk in the woods (aren’t most days?). Even a downed tree across the trail was no match for his sunny attitude. Indeed, the sun was starting to peek through the trees as the clouds cleared. Maybe there would have been a fine view at the summit after all!
On the last section of the Bonnie & Clyde trail, the path switchbacks down to the trailhead. This isn’t the lower trailhead where we had parked, but a smaller area with a few parking spots halfway up the road. It was vacant due to the temporary road closure, and the road was littered with debris from the recent storm. Normally, this is the best place to park if you wish to take a shorter route to the summit at Little Mountain.
We walked a hundred feet or so down the road to yet another trailhead, where we rejoined the Rooty trail for our final descent. There’s a helpful trail map posted here, as well as a port-a-potty and garbage can.
On the final stretch, Michael, Buddy, and J once again pulled ahead, while T and I took up the rear. T had great fun gathering bits and pieces that had blown down in the storm. He waved big leaf maple branches above his head, tossed them over his shoulders, and dragged them behind as “brakes” while running downhill.
We crossed paths once more with the Up Only trail, right before the final switchbacks down Rooty returned us to the parking lot. Sunlight streamed over the open lot as we made our way back to the car. It was a beautiful end to our hike. Someday we’ll return, and maybe then we’ll finally see the view from the top. But even if we don’t, Little Mountain Park will always be a joy to explore.
