Every hiking site near Seattle calls Poo Poo Point “moderate.” Then you get to mile two, your legs are burning on a set of stone steps that won’t quit, and you start wondering who decided that word — which is exactly why understanding Poo Poo Point hike difficulty route-by-route matters more than any single rating.
Quick answer: Poo Poo Point hike difficulty depends on the route. The standard Chirico Trail out-and-back is a moderate 4-mile hike with roughly 1,600–1,750 feet of elevation gain, taking most hikers 2–3 hours round trip. It’s steep in sections but well-maintained and beginner-friendly with good pacing. The full 8.4-mile Poo Poo Point Loop, by contrast, is rated hard, with an unmaintained, root-choked eastern section that catches people off guard.
Poo Poo Point Hike Difficulty at a Glance
The short version: it depends entirely on which route you pick, and that’s the piece most articles skip.
Poo Poo Point sits on the shoulder of West Tiger Mountain in the Issaquah Alps, part of Tiger Mountain State Forest. There isn’t one single trail to it — there are at least three — and their difficulty ranges from a solid moderate workout to a genuinely hard, unmaintained scramble. <cite index=”2-1″>Reviewers describe the trail as having steep climbs, muddy sections, and ticks, with the loop’s eastern half unmaintained and overgrown</cite>. Meanwhile <cite index=”6-1″>the more commonly hiked approach starts off with a gentle incline that gets increasingly steep the farther you go</cite>, which is a very different experience than a long unmaintained descent through loose rock.
So when someone asks “is Poo Poo Point hard,” the honest answer is: hard compared to a flat park walk, moderate compared to real Cascades peaks, and it swings toward genuinely hard if you pick the full loop without realizing what you signed up for.
Quick Takeaway: If you want the classic postcard view with the least suffering, take Chirico Trail out and back. If you want a longer day and don’t mind route-finding on rough tread, the loop delivers — but go in knowing it’s a different animal.
Poo Poo Point Hike Difficulty by Route
Here’s where most guides get vague. Poo Poo Point actually has three distinct approaches, and they don’t share a difficulty rating.
| Route | Distance | Elevation Gain | Est. Time | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chirico Trail (out-and-back) | ~4 miles | 1,600–1,750 ft | 2–3 hours | Moderate |
| High School Trail (out-and-back) | ~6.9 miles | ~1,600 ft | 3.5–4 hours | Moderate |
| Full Poo Poo Point Loop | 8.4 miles | ~2,129 ft | 5–5.5 hours | Hard |
Chirico Trail (Most Popular)
This is the route almost everyone means when they say “hiking Poo Poo Point.” <cite index=”16-1″>It’s a short but steep trail with many stone steps, reaching a viewpoint of Mount Rainier before continuing to Poo Poo Point itself, only 1.9 miles from the trailhead</cite>. The climb is front-loaded — the first mile or so does most of the work, then the grade eases as you near the top.
The trail is also nicknamed the Pilot’s Trail, since <cite index=”17-1″>paraglider pilots use this same 1.9-mile route to reach the south launch, with another 0.1 mile to the north launch</cite>.
High School Trail (North Side)
Starting near Issaquah High School instead of the main gravel lot, this route trades steepness for length. <cite index=”10-1″>It begins at either of two trailheads near the high school and follows a forested route that passes tennis courts, a small power line, and climbs more steeply through coniferous forest</cite> before joining the upper trail network. It’s less crowded than Chirico and arguably a gentler grade, but you’ll be on your feet almost twice as long.
The Full Poo Poo Point Loop (Hardest Option)
This is the version that earns the “hard” rating on trail-rating platforms. <cite index=”2-1″>While the main trail is well maintained, the eastern loop segment is not — after dense forest opens up, the trail becomes a steep, unmaintained descent through thick roots and loose rock before it links back to the main trail</cite>. If you’re set on the full loop, download offline maps beforehand; the tread genuinely disappears in places.
Elevation Gain and Trail Conditions
Numbers alone undersell what the climb feels like. On Chirico, <cite index=”4-1″>most of the elevation gain happens in the first two miles</cite>, which is exactly why people who’ve only seen the “moderate” label are surprised by how much their legs burn early on.
Underfoot, expect a mix of dirt tread and built stone steps on the lower Chirico section, giving way to smoother, more open trail near the top. <cite index=”2-1″>Watch for muddy patches and ticks, especially in spring and early summer</cite> — long pants and a tick check afterward aren’t overkill here. In winter, rain and occasional ice can make the steeper pitches slick, so trekking poles earn their keep.
Quick Takeaway: The physical difficulty of Poo Poo Point is less about total distance and more about how compressed the elevation gain is. Pace yourself on the first mile and the rest feels much easier.
Getting There: Trailhead, Parking, and Permits
This is one of the most searched — and most muddled — pieces of Poo Poo Point planning, so let’s settle it clearly.
Do you need a Discover Pass? No. <cite index=”16-1″>This side of the field is King County land, so it isn’t necessary to display a Discover Pass, and there’s no posted time limit</cite>. Some older blog posts and trip reports still list a Discover Pass as required — that information is outdated or refers to a different Tiger Mountain trailhead entirely.
Parking: <cite index=”13-1″>Parking is free but scarce on weekends, when the trail and paragliding field see heavy use, and street parking is prohibited</cite>. The lot has <cite index=”21-1″>vault toilets, and no parking pass is required</cite>.
Directions: From Seattle, <cite index=”13-1″>take I-90 east to exit 17 (Front Street), turn right, and travel roughly 2.8–3 miles to the gravel parking area on the left; the trailhead is across the field</cite>.
Crowd tip: <cite index=”17-1″>On weekends and holidays, King County’s Trailhead Direct bus service runs to the Issaquah Alps as one of its stops, which can help you skip the parking scramble entirely</cite> (service availability has varied year to year, so check current schedules before relying on it).
Best Time to Hike and What Waits at the Top
<cite index=”19-1″>You can hike Chirico Trail to Poo Poo Point year-round as long as it isn’t especially wet, since the elevation is low enough to usually stay snow-free, though the very top can pick up snow in winter</cite>. Clear days are worth planning around — that’s when the Rainier view actually delivers.
<cite index=”17-1″>Between May and October, expect the parking lot and summit to be busy with both hikers and paraglider pilots</cite>, since the open field at the top doubles as a launch and landing zone. <cite index=”3-1″>From the lookout you’ll see Issaquah below and Bellevue in the distance</cite>, plus, on a clear day, Mount Rainier. Give any incoming paragliders the right of way rather than lingering in the open landing area — they land fast and quiet.
At the top, <cite index=”7-1″>there’s a spacious area with picnic tables and restrooms</cite>, making it a reasonable spot to rest before heading back down.
Tips to Make Poo Poo Point Easier (and How It Compares)
A few things that consistently help first-timers:
- Start early. Beat both the heat and the parking crunch, especially on weekends between May and October.
- Pace the first mile. Since most of the elevation gain is front-loaded, going out too hard early is the number one reason people find this “harder than expected.”
- Bring poles for the steps. The stone-step sections on Chirico are steeper than photos suggest.
- Skip the full loop your first time. Stick to the Chirico out-and-back until you’ve seen conditions for yourself — the eastern loop section is a different difficulty tier entirely.
- Check for ticks after hiking, particularly in warmer months.
For context, Poo Poo Point via Chirico Trail sits in a similar difficulty range to Rattlesnake Ledge — both are moderate, steady climbs under 1,800 feet of gain that reward hikers with a big payoff view for relatively short mileage. It’s noticeably easier than longer regional test-pieces like Mailbox Peak, which packs over 4,000 feet of gain into a similar distance.
The Bottom Line
Poo Poo Point isn’t a hard hike in the way Mailbox Peak or Mount Si are hard — but it isn’t a flat stroll either. The Chirico Trail version is a genuinely solid moderate workout that most reasonably fit beginners can complete in a few hours, front-loaded with steep steps that catch people off guard. The full loop is a different story, and treating it as an extension of the “moderate” main trail is the mistake that trips people up.
Pick your route on purpose, start early to dodge the crowds, and you’ll get one of the better view-to-effort ratios near Seattle.
Before you finalize your trip, browse our Washington State hiking guides for additional tips and destinations.
FAQ Section
Is Poo Poo Point hard to hike?
Not particularly, if you take the standard Chirico Trail route — it’s rated moderate, with steep sections but good trail conditions. The full 8.4-mile loop version is rated hard due to an unmaintained eastern section.
How long does the Poo Poo Point hike take?
The main Chirico Trail out-and-back takes about 2–3 hours for most hikers. The longer High School Trail route takes 3.5–4 hours, and the full loop can take 5–5.5 hours.
Do you need a Discover Pass for Poo Poo Point?
No. The Chirico trailhead sits on King County land, not Washington State land, so a Discover Pass isn’t required there.
Is Poo Poo Point good for beginners?
Yes, via the Chirico Trail. It’s steep in the first mile but short overall, well-maintained, and a common first “real climb” for newer Seattle-area hikers.
How much elevation gain is the Poo Poo Point hike?
The Chirico Trail route gains about 1,600–1,750 feet over roughly 4 miles round trip. The full loop gains about 2,129 feet over 8.4 miles.
Can you bring dogs on the Poo Poo Point hike?
Yes, dogs are welcome on leash on the standard routes.
What’s at the top of Poo Poo Point?
An open grassy launch field used by paragliders and hang gliders, plus picnic tables, restrooms, and views toward Mount Rainier, Issaquah, and Bellevue.
Which is easier, Poo Poo Point or Rattlesnake Ledge?
They’re comparable — both moderate hikes under 1,800 feet of gain. Poo Poo Point’s climb is a bit more front-loaded and steep, while Rattlesnake Ledge’s gain is spread more evenly.
