Trip Report
Day Hike - Little Si
Little Si is a nice short hike with 1,200 feet of elevation gain to a nice lookout of the Snoqualmie Valley. Parking lots were full and there were many visitors on the trail, but there was still plenty of space to share a group snack at the top.
Alex Bertelsen
- Sun, Jun 15, 2025
- Day Hike - Little Si
- Little Si
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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Road Conditions: Paved
Primary Parking Lot: Full; Discovery Pass Required
Overflow Parking Lot: Full; Discovery Pass Required
Parking at Tanner Landing Park 47.4850, -121.7608: Gravel, no notable potholes
As expected from an afternoon hike on a summer weekend, both the main and overflow parking lots were full. There was a lot of turnover and if you wait long enough, a spot would eventually open up. There is parking at Tanner Landing Park, which is about a half mile, 12 minute walk to the trailhead. Parallel parking on a gravel road was almost full on a summer, Sunday afternoon.
Trail Conditions: Well maintained and dry. No hazards encountered. Mix of dirt, gravel and some exposed rock.
Length: 4 miles out and back
Elevation Gain: 1,171 feet
Travel Time: ~4 hours including multiple breaks and a snack at the summit
Weather: Sunny in the high 60s
Parking: Full - requiring parking 0.5 miles from trailhead. Discovery Pass required for Main and Overflow Parking.
Visitors: Many
Trail Conditions: Good and well maintained. Mix of gravel and dirt trail.
Gear Recommendations: 10 essentials, 1.5 liters of water, snacks to share with group
This was an excellent afternoon hike. We planned on and found full parking lots on an early summer weekend. Both the main and overflow parking lots were full and had vehicles circling back and forth waiting visitors to leave. There is parking a half mile away at Tanner Landing Park which still had space for a few vehicles. Arriving early in the morning or on a weekday should make parking less of an issue.
There were many visitors on the trail, but it didn't seem crowded and there was plenty of room at the summit to sit down with the group and share snacks. About half to the visitors were heading to the climbing walls and not the summit.
The trail starts off a little steep for the first quarter mile, but flattens out a bit before the climb to the summit. There are two major forks on the trail, both connecting to the Boulder Garden Loop at 0.3 and 0.5 miles. Take a left (northeast) at both, unless you want a longer trek. The first fork isn't well marked, so it is possible to go in the wrong direction if you aren't paying attention.
The trail meanders through temperate forest with a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees. You get a few glimpses of the sun, but are well protected from it except at the summit. Plants bordering the trail include wildflowers, Salmonberry, Red Huckleberry, Blackberries, Oregon Grape, Salal, Sword Ferns and plenty of moss and lichen.
There are multiple rock climbing paths to the west of the trail and we got a glimpse of climbers tacking the various rock walls on the east side of Little Si. At 1.4 miles, the trail hooks around to the south and you begin the final climb to the summit ranging between 10-28% grade before it flattens out at the top. Before you reach the top, you get a peak of Mount Si to the east. This could be you next summit if you really enjoyed Little Si and want more of a challenge.
There is exposed rock surface at the summit that provides a wonderful view of the Snoqualmie Valley. There are several rock ledges below that allow you to spread out and sit in the sun with a view of the valley below. You can easily view Rattle Snake Ledge, Cedar Butte and Mount Washington. If you wish to seek shelter from the sun, there a few shades spots that allow your group to sit and share a snack.
This is a great day hike for both experienced and new hikers looking for a fun little summit. Arrive early in the summer for parking or plan to park a little further away and hike it in.