Drove to the Grouse Vista Trailhead in the Yacolt Burn State Forest to hike up Star Mountain in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. 6.7 miles round trip with 2,000 ft gain. Only saw 2 hikers on my way up the trail and 14 on the hike down (fairly quiet for this popular trail). The trail starts up the Tarbell Trail and very soon splits, with the Silver Star Mountain Trail going up to the right. The trail starts out steep, gaining 590 ft in 1/2 miles, mostly on what looks like a very rocky old forest road. There were many wildflowers to distract me.
I started in the clouds, but started seeing some blue sky above me as I gained elevation. Love seeing the sun rays through the fog.
There were some open areas among the trees where the wildflowers broke out in a riot of colors!
Most of the beargrass was broken off or drying up, I did see a few healthy blooms.
About 1.5 miles up the trail, it splits and rejoins in almost a mile. I choose to go up on the southeast side of the ridge (to the right) and come back down the other side on my way back. Looking up at Pyramid Rock.
Unfortunately, it was too cloudy for views, but the wildflowers continued to be lovely.
After rejoining the main trail, there were some open areas with cloudy views and many wildflowers.
There were several patches of avalanche lilies in bloom 
There is a very large cairn, where the spur trail to Silver Star Mountain is up on the right.
Last 0.1 mile up to Silver Star Mountainb(4,375 ft)
View from the saddle between the two peaks looking east towards Mt Adams
wildflowers on Silver Star Mountain
View to the Northeast: Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier, the Goat Rocks and Mt Adamszoom of Mt St Helens
zoom of Mt Rainier
zoom of the Goat Rocks
zoom of Mt Adams
View towards the south, the other end of Silver Star Mountain and across the Columbia River in Oregon: Mt Hood, Mt Jefferson and what we think are a distant Mt Washington and the Three Sisters (better seen with binoculars).zoom of Mt Hood
zoom of Mt Jefferson
zoom of what might be Mt Washington
zoom of the very distant Three Sisters (two of the peaks seen beyond the far ridge)
Another view to the northeast
to the southeast
Enjoying the combination of wildflowers and views of volcanoes!
Sturgeon Rock to the west
Heading down the trail to the south point of Silver Star Mountain
stopping to enjoy these paintbrush and the view!
view from the south end of Star Mountain
View of Pyramid Rock from the trail on the northwest side of the ridge as I hiked back down the trail.
Lots of wildflowers in the meadow
One of many butterfliessome of the many wildflowers along the trail today:
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