playground point, leavenworth, where is it?

[al5]

spent a good hour this past weekend trying to find playground point... map in the guide is fine, i'm probably just a moron. any tips/tricks to make finding it easier next time out? i feel like i got a tad lost wandering through the mad meadows boulders, there were quite a few trails.

[Jake_Gano]

The map in the guidebook makes it look deceptively close to the road. It's a but more of a hike, and a good bit more uphill, than it first appears in the book.

 

[catbirdseat]

The trail starts near a brown sign about a hundred yards down the road from Hammerhead Rock. The trail follows a gully for a short distance and then switchbacks to the right up to a bench above the highway. The bench is level, so as you walk along you are getting progressively higher above the road. After a bit you will start to climb and you are at Mad Meadows. You'll see boulders all over the place. Hike the trail as it wends it way through the boulders. Eventually you'll pass the boulders and be facing up a big slope. Look up and you'll see Baby Steps first.

[al5]

Great stuff - thanks all. I believe i made it through Mad Meadows but then the trail started descending (20ft face on your left, slope on your right) and i made it to another bench but bailed as i thought i had gone too far.