Miles: 3.1 miles RT
Elevation Gain/Highest: 690ft/1250ft
My favorite places to stop post hike with friends are: Grilla Bites, Route 2 Taproom and Grazing Place, Good Brewing Company, River House Cafe, Espresso Chalet, Gustav’s, Yodelin’s Broth Company, South, Dan’s Food Market, or just Pack A Cooler. You can learn more about these places in my Must Hike Must Eat Eating Out Guide.
Find out current conditions and as always, practice Leave No Trace. Pretty please.
Hike details:
Heybrook Ridge is a newly built trail up from the backside if the Heybrook Ridge County Park parking lot across from the small town of Index, WA. The trail starts out fairly level as it crosses a small stream and passes through a thin forest before ascending on gentle switchbacks. A bench seat rests at .75 miles, a spot to rest and watch the creek cascade down. The trail reaches the ridge around 1.3 miles and curves around to the southern side for a lookout with views of Mount Index and Persis.
My trip report:
5/15/2020
I wrote a post on my loop hike of the Heybrook Ridge: Why You Might Not Want To Wear A Skirt Even When Recreating Responsibly!
3/15/2019
The gate to the parking lot was closed, looks to be to keep the gravel lot from developing any more deep ruts until the snow melts. Two cars fit but folks are just parking in town and walking over.
I highly recommend traction devices. A group with just tennis shoes coming down used the word “scary” to describe conditions. The snow in the first mile or so is compact but the melted/refrozen kind so super slick. Once you get more out in the open near the ridge grip improves.
The snow is trenched here and any step off center may posthole, especially over the rock slabs running with water in the sun.
The view at the top was blue skies and the towering Index and Persis. I had the sunshine to myself for awhile, 3-4 groups were on their way up as I headed down. A lovely quick jaunt on a Friday afternoon, maybe spring is finally here?
Directions: From Seattle, drive north on I-5 to Everett and take exit 194 to head east on US Highway 2. Take US-2 through Monroe and Sultan. From the traffic roundabout in Sultan, it is 10.8 miles to the bridge over the South Fork Skykomish River. At this point, be on the lookout for Index-Galena Road, which is a left turn from US-2 just 0.4 miles beyond the bridge. Follow Index-Galena Road 0.9 miles to Heybrook Ridge County Park, on your right. There is parking for 14-16 vehicles. There is no privy.
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Need some eating out suggestions when friends want to stop after a hike? I have a Pacific Northwest Eating Guide here.
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