Lion Rock on Table Mountain by Flag Mountain / 獅子岩

  • Reading time:7 mins read

Lion Rock on the Table Mountain range sits east of Flag Mountain. To the north is Diamond Head, overlooking Tronsen Meadow, south of Tronsen Ridge. Moreover, it sees the vast Stuart Range plus Teanaway Backcountry on the west.

Leaving Lion Rock behind
Leaving Lion Rock behind

See more trip photos here.

Lion Rock at a Glance

Access: Table Mountain Road (end of the pavement)
Round Trip: 6 miles
Elevation Range: 5680′-6360′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes

Table Mountain Road

After yesterday’s outing, we explored this relaxing hike east of the Cascades. The weather grew warm around noon, and the sun was on full blast. Including the vast Kittitas Valley, gorgeous views widened higher on the winding road on this beautiful day.

The forest service updated its site on 5/8, with Table Mountain Road drivable just past the 3500/114 fork. So if we started from there, it’d only be a 10-mile walk roundtrip. Since more snow had melted off after the update, I drove two more miles to the end of the pavement.

Two volcanoes
Two volcanoes

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Roadside Views of Mount Rainier and Mount Adams

Although I could drive farther on the gravel, I parked by the pavement for more exercise. A few cars continued uphill as we were getting ready. But All the vehicles turned around at the first snow patch in a quarter of a mile. Suddenly, we saw Mount Rainier and Mount Adams looming behind us.

I had read about Lion Rock being one of the scenic drive-up summits. But the snow on the ground this time of the year meant a better chance of enjoying some quiet time. Soon, we reached the road sign marking the Haney Meadow/Lion Rock fork.

End of the tracks
End of the tracks

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The Final Stretch on Lion Rock

It was mainly muddy on the .75-mile walk to the top from the fork. As the snow melted, we couldn’t trust it to hold our weight as I repeatedly stepped into the puddles underneath. Instead, we walked on the side of the road for the rest of the approach.

The road took us straight up to the summit, with the Stuart Range first catching my attention. I don’t remember when we last had a clear view of the ridge east of Highway 97. But besides the two volcanoes, it was much better scenery than expected!

Table Mountain
Table Mountain

See more trip photos here.

Summit Views Plus Exit

Despite trees obscuring the east, the main attractions were all on the west anyway. Stuart Range, Teanaway Backcountry, and Alpine Lakes Wilderness high points filled the western skyline. But Mount Adams was now hiding behind the trees.

After a long and enjoyable summit visit, we retraced our steps back to the car.

Thanks for another gorgeous day
Thanks for another gorgeous day

See more trip photos here.

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