Haystack Lookout & Ten-Four Mountain

Ten-Four Mountain has 2,744 feet of prominence making it the 65th-most prominent peak in Washington. But at only 4,384 feet high, it doesn't get visited very often by hikers. On a high shoulder on summit ridge, a fire lookout was placed in 1957. It was a 40 foot wooden L-4 tower. An old footsore book directed the public to hike there. The book called this area Haystack Mountain, and suggesting it was called Cougar Mountain before that. Maps today show a Haystack Mountain nearby, a low knob to the Northeast so this creates some confusion. The north side of the mountain has a horse trail system open to the public. The land on the north side of the mountain is part of the Forest Legacy Program. Federal grant funds paid for a conservation easement that removed development rights from the forestland. Part of that agreement states the public must be allowed non-motorized access. The program is administered by the Forest Service, and carried out by the DNR.

From Sultan, go south on Mann Road, over the river and to a T intersection. For the horse trails, go left and follow to the end of the road to the Mann Road Trailhead (this is route I took but requires bushwhack). I would suggest taking a right at the T intersection and going 0.8 miles, then turn left onto 297th Street. Park at gate. Bring a bicycle on this route, no bushwhack.

I put my route from the horse trails on the map but I won't describe it because the 700 foot bushwhack is so horrible. Instead, follow the directions above for the road route. Just follow roads to Airplane Lake, then up to the former lookout site. Unless you are a peakbagger, I do not suggest going to the true summit of Ten-Four Mountain. It has nothing to offer and requires a bushwhack near the summit.