I had done this hike years ago with the hubby and the pups, in the dead of summer. This time it was with a friend, in the winter! Still beautiful, quiet, and mostly just myself and my hiking buddy!
Pro tip: parking is free between labor day and memorial day, so that makes it even better.
It was march, and surprisingly very icy after the turn off. Not recommended without spikes!
We definitely had a slower go with the large amounts of ice, both on the up and the down! But we took our time, enjoyed nature, scenery and chatting and made it to the top in about an hour and half.
Verdict:
All trails calls it 3.4 mile, but it is more like 3.7 (this cause a giant “discussion” when I did it with the hubby.) You definitely feel the 1300 foot elevation gain as you keep going up and up! There is a little down after the false summit – so be ready!