Hiking in the Great Northwest is one of my favorite activities. In fact, my roommate and I go for a hike every Friday. Last month, we went to Silver Star Mountain which is north of Vancouver, Washington.

Silver Star Mountain is rather secluded but it is well worth the drive! When you reach the top you will be greeted by views of Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Adams.

Silver Star reaches 4,364 ft. It took my roommate and I about an hour or so to reach the summit walking at a fairly brisk pace. The trail is well maintained and consists of packed dirt and gravel. Overall, the grade is gradual with only a few short, steep sections.

There is a large parking lot at the trailhead. However, due to snow, we had to park far below the lot and walk.

The day we went up to Silver Star was partly cloudy and sunny. It was actually pretty warm too. The sun reflecting off of the snow gave us both nice tans. The route we took was nearly 5 miles long.

The scenery is rather breathtaking. In the summer, the fields are covered in wild flowers, berries, and bear grass.

According to the US Forest Service, after the 1902 Yacolt Fire the government placed a fire lookout tower at the summit of Silver Star Mountain. The fire swept the area clear and on some of the rockier areas the forest has refused to grow back.

There are a number of scenic rock formations including an arch formation. From the summit you can see Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon on clear days.