Little Si Hiking Guide
Little Si stands in the shadow of its much larger neighbour and is, for a lot of Seattle hikers, the more useful trail. The four-mile route climbs about 1,170 feet through some of the mossiest, most Pacific Northwest forest imaginable, passing basalt crags busy with rock climbers before topping out on a rocky knoll above the Snoqualmie Valley. Crucially, it sits low enough to stay snow-free most winters.
Permit: Discover Pass required to park at the Little Si trailhead (Washington DNR)
The Winter Trail
Most Cascade hiking shuts down from November to May under snow. Little Si tops out around 1,576 feet, which usually keeps it clear and walkable through the winter when Mount Si above it needs traction and Snow Lake is inaccessible. That makes it disproportionately valuable in the Seattle hiking calendar, and it is why the lot is busy on grey January weekends when you might expect otherwise.
Forest and Crags
The trail climbs through mature second growth thick with moss, ferns and nurse logs — this is the rainforest version of the Pacific Northwest rather than the alpine one. Partway up, the route passes beneath basalt walls that form one of the region's most popular climbing areas, and watching parties work the routes is part of the entertainment. The tread is rooty and can be genuinely slick when wet, which is most of the time.
The Top
The summit is a rocky knoll with a view down the valley toward North Bend and up at the bulk of Mount Si. It is not a dramatic alpine panorama and it is not trying to be. There is room to sit and it usually catches sun when the forest below is dim. The final approach involves some rock steps that need hands in one or two places without ever becoming a scramble.
Pass and Parking
Little Si shares the Discover Pass requirement with its neighbour, and the dedicated trailhead lot off SE Mount Si Road fills early on weekends. Overflow parking along the road is signed and enforced. There are toilets at the trailhead. Being a short drive from Seattle, this trail draws steady weekday traffic too — genuinely quiet times are rare.
Dogs, Mud and Footwear
Leashed dogs are welcome and this is a popular dog trail. What catches people out is the mud: this forest holds water, and from October through May the trail is often a slick, rooty mess that turns an easy hike into a careful one. Boots with real tread beat trail runners here for most of the year. Poles help on the descent more than the modest elevation suggests.
Hiking tips for Little Si
- Use this as your winter trail — it stays low enough to remain snow-free when the rest of the Cascades shuts down.
- Wear boots with genuine tread from October through May; the rooty forest tread is slick far more often than it is dry.
- Buy a Discover Pass, which this trailhead shares with Mount Si and enforces just as consistently.
- Watch the climbers on the basalt crags partway up — it is one of the better spectator spots on any Seattle-area trail.
- Treat it as a warm-up for Mount Si if you are building fitness; same area, a third of the climb.
Nearby trails to explore
- Mount Si
- Rattlesnake Ledge
- Twin Falls
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Little Si keeps Seattle hikers moving through the grey months. Use TrailMates to find groups hiking North Bend year-round, not just in July and August. Download the TrailMates app to join them.