Much like its very close neighbor Mailbox Peak , Dirty Harry’s Peak trail is a steep climb straight up the side of a mountain. Unfortunately, I chose a day with heavy cloud cover and rain to give it a shot for the first time. When I arrived in the parking lot, it was pouring rain and showing no signs of letting up. That is why they make rain gear, though.

sunrise from north bend gas station

sunrise from town

Dirty Harry’s Peak trail starts on level ground after leaving the parking lot. I made the mistake of wandering down the road from the parking lot. From the parking lot, look for the easy trail that heads into the woods. After crossing the bridge, the actual trail begins.

Along the way, some viewpoints looked like they would have a good view on a clear day. I was deprived of the views by the bleak weather. There is also the option to head for Dirty Harry’s Balcony as a shorter trip. I didn’t run in that direction so that I couldn’t speak to it.

The best part of the day by far was the lack of people. I do my best to avoid I-90 these days due to the large crowds that line the trails. For some reason, this one seemed oddly devoid of other people.

interstate 90 below the peak

trail junction

foggy section of trail

Dirty Harry’s Peak Trail is steep and through the woods for much of the day. I enjoy something with far more of a view than this. But for some, it may work. My main thought would be that Mailbox Peak is a far more worthy goal.

The trail up Dirty Harry’s Peak is well-cut but steep. The top could have some good views on a day without so much cloud cover. For this hiker, once was enough. I did it and got too post a bit of eye candy on my site. Other than that, the hike itself was very underwhelming. I know I won’t be returning for this one soon.

summit "view"

waterboy on the summit