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Sugarloaf Mountain
Sugarloaf Mountain is for those looking for a viewless day but discovering the Sugarloaf Mountain Forest, a 285-acre forest, acquired through the King County Transfer of Development Rights Program in 2001 and is categorized as a working resource land in the King County land portfolio. This means the private forest can never be developed and public recreation must be allowed. Unfortunately, there is no legal public access to the Sugarloaf Mountain Forest. This access point has no "no trespassing" signs and rumor says the landowner allows hiking and mountain bikes.
Access:
Distance: 2 or 2.5 miles
Summit Elevation: 1,490 feet
Elevation Gain: 600 feet
Access Rating: Paved
Follow Kent-Kangley Road (Hwy 516) east a few miles past the Ravensdale 4 way. When you see 320th street on your left, look to the right for the locked gate that says DO NOT BLOCK GATE". Park there.
Route from Granite Mountain:
Their are two ways up from the gate. One is 2 miles, the other 2.5 miles. The 2 mile route uses an old motorcycle trail that is quickly overgrowing (shown in blue on the map below). We chose to hike the trail up and the road back down, adding a half mile. Even part of the road section could overgrow in a few years with nasty blackberry bushes.
From the gate, start walking the road quickly coming to some power lines. Stay on main road. Past the power lines (but still visible behind you) you'll come to a Y intersection. Take the lesser traveled left road. If you hit a large mud puddle and 4WD campsite, you went too far. The left road will start wrapping around the south side of Sugarloaf Mountain. The first spur road left will take you to the motorcycle trail. The second spur left is the route staying on roads the entire time. The road drops a bit between summits near the top. At the roads highest point, bushwhack south up hill 30 feet to the highpoint in the trees. I left a register.
Nearing the top
The summit is just above the road there in the trees
At the roads highest point
Some views from the old trail section
Rocky section of road
Sugarloaf Mountain from the powerlines
At the gate on the Kent-Kangley Road