Latitude: 47.5076029
Longitude: -121.7401092
Mount Si is the imposing mountain that towers over the town of North Bend. Mount Si (pronounced like sigh) has been a popular hike among locals long before it was featured on the television show Twin Peaks. Mount Si is named for an early settler, Josiah Merritt, who had a cabin at the base of the mountain in the 1800′s.
The Mount Si trail gains about 3500 feet in 4 miles to the top and is snow free much of the year which makes it a good workout for winter training. The Haystack is the summit, but hikers without scrambling experience should not attempt the scramble to the summit. The view from trail’s end is not much improved upon and not worth the risk. To get to the trailhead, drive east on I-90 from Seattle to Exit 31, turn left on Bendigo and drive .7 mile to North Bend Way, then turn right. Drive North Bend Way 1.3 mile east to SE Mt Si Road, turn left and after crossing the Snoqualmie River bridge drive exactly two miles to the parking lot and trailhead. Trailhead elevation 470 ft, summit of Mount Si, 4167 feet.