Going out on a rainy day in the middle of June was just fine…read more Easy walking trails with lots of trees and gnomes almost everywhere. I wish I would've brought a gnome or two to add to the trail. Definitely next time! Take my advice. Bring a gnome to leave. You'll be happy you did :-)

What an enchanting walk. Thanks to Yelp, I found this trail close to our rental. Plenty of parking…read moreand a LFL (little free library) at the trail head with some childrens books. The Gnome Trail goes left and a Loop trail to the right. There are So. Many. Gnomes! It was a lot of fun to slowly wander, looking side to side, trying to see all the gnomes! There are a couple of sections of trail with almost no gnomes, but most of it has plenty. An abundance if you will. They are everywhere! Hanging from limbs, on logs, under leaves, on tree trunks, in crevases, off in the distance. It's quite fun trying to spy them all. I like the idea of bringing a troll to leave. I would like to leave one in a less populated area. A momento of my visit to Maple Valley. This is a fairly easy trail. There is one steep incline, and some rocks and roots under foot, but the trail is a nice width and fairly easy to follow. Much of it is well blaze. An excellent trail to bring your pre-school child or anyone who enjoys a bit of whimsy.

We were told about this trail by a local who walked through the Ghost Town several years ago. This…read moresounded like a fun adventure so we took a hike. First: the parking area is chained shut and 'tow' signs are in the drive way area that leads to the parking lot. We drove over a one-way bridge (traffic signals control traffic direction) and found a parking area on the right. This area also has the same 'tow' signs but the lot had several vehicles and many people were in the area so we parked. It's a shady lot with a spring water dispenser straight from the ground. (A sign asks that you Venmo money for any water you take from the Spring) We walked back over the bridge, past the gate and onto the trail. Second: the initial hike is a wide incline covered in gravel. This leads you up and around to a Coal Car where the trail divides. The Ghost Town is to your right. The mine shaft and grave yard are to your left. Both trails continue to lead up. One of the hike pages I looked over described this as an 'easy' trail for kids. Regarding climbing over obstacles, the path is clear and it is an easy hike if you go toward the ghost town. However, the grade is pretty steep in that direction. The direction of the mine however has several trees down and most we had to climb over. The trail there is not well maintained. The Ghost Town: This pathway is mostly wide and gravel covered making it the easier of the two trails. We found one foundation covered in undergrowth on the right that you can climb the steps onto a small foundation. You have to really be looking to see the steps. On the left is what looks almost like a retaining wall on the hillside. That's all we saw of a 'town'. The path continues to climb up and around. It may lead out to the road on the opposite side of the hill but we did not walk all the way and I make that suggestion based on maps. This trail is mostly full sun. The Mine Shaft and Graveyard: We came back and took the left branch of the trail where it divides at the Coal Car. This trail runs from wide and gravel covered to single file while walking through raspberry bushes (prickers). Thankfully we had rain jackets on so those tiny thorns did not snag our shirts and I kept my hands above my head to save my skin. Be prepared for that. This trail is mostly shady. It takes a while to reach the mine shaft which includes a plaque with some mine information. The shaft is quite large, goes straight down, is surrounded by a metal railing and topped with a lattice of rebar. The sign suggest you drop a rock in to hear how deep the shaft is, however as this must have been done hundreds of times, rocks nearby are scarce. Bring your own rock with you. Once you have spent all the time you'd like at the mine shaft, take the trail to the left of the mine shaft plaque to continue on to the graveyard. There are a couple of places along the way that will make you wonder 'is this it?' It's not. Just keep going. It's another longish hike in a more gentle upward direction. The path veers off to your right at several points, one of which leads to a wet low area, but overhead here you will see remnants of some coal car rails. There is a trail leading up a steep incline that will take you to the top of the rails if you'd like a closer look. The 'up' is easier than the 'down' on this steep pathway. The graveyard is further ahead, past this coal car rail. Just keep walking. You will see on your right, at the base of a tree, a toppled over headstone that looks like a small obelisk. This, and a wooden sign erected by a local group stating they fenced in a grave, are the main visible signs of the graveyard. The area is completely overgrown, including the fenced in grave. After climbing over trees and fending off thorny raspberry bushes (without the joy of eating some of the berries) this was a disappointing hike. The trail ends here. Some of the downed trees have had a path chopped or cut out so you can walk around or through them but most your scramble over. I am not sure what is happening with this land or why the lot is closed with no explanation sign. I could not find information in a search of local news sites. I do wonder however if it has anything to do with a downtrodden looking 'resort' on the other side of the bridge. They offer you access to a waterfall for a small fee. I believe you can access this waterfall from the chained lot if you take the trail directly down to the river on the left. But this is just speculation. I did not take them up on their offer. If you are here for a nice, uphill hike, take the path to the right at the coal car and enjoy a wider path with some views of the surrounding area. That is a pleasant hike in and of itself. Just don't expect to see a 'ghost town' and you'll enjoy this hike. Happy hiking!

While the hike in and out was nice, easy for kids (of at least aged 5 years), and relatively quick,…read morethe ghost town wasn't really worth the effort (destination).

The Glacier Basin Trail is utterly magical in every sense of the word. I must have taken hundreds…read moreof pictures and several videos while hiking this trail. This hike has everything that your little heart could ever desire! A forest full of giant trees. Vibrantly green shrubs. Waterfalls at practically each turn. Majestic views of not only the snow covered mountains, but the gorgeous aqua hues of the White River down below. The rushing river running parallel. Rampant wildlife. Colorful wildflowers. Inclines and elevation galore. I mean, shall I go on?! Just stunning. Glacier Basin is located near the White River entrance of Mount Rainier National Park. The trail begins just behind the White River Campgrounds. It's starts off mildly inclining through a lush forest, but the incline picks up speed and continues to incline until you reach the camp. It's about roughly 9 miles and 2,000 feet of elevation in total if you add in the the detour to the Emmons Lorraine Trail. Do it! It will add another 1.5/2miles to the hike, BUT... this is where you'll find that incredible view of the Inter Fork White River. It's funny that it's called the "white river" because it's stunningly aqua from the top of Emmons Lorraine. The Emmons Lorraine trail is a turn off that's about a mile into the Glacier Basin Trail and includes a river crossing and a steep incline up a narrow hill. It looks a bit intimidating, but it's really not. Just sit on your bum for the really gnarly parts coming down (at least that's what I did). Continuing on the Glacier Basin Trail, it's basically a straight shot up the hill for another 3 miles until you reach the top. There are a few spots with some switchbacks, but it's mostly a ridge-like trail. AllTrails has rated this hike as moderate, but it's definitely on the harder side of moderate if not difficult. What makes this hike so enjoyable though is the fact that there's so much scenery. Every time I took a break, I was either greeted by a beautiful mini waterfall or vibrant wildflowers. The views are very motivating and it keeps you going. Once you reach Glacier Basin Camp, you'll be met with the most stunning views of snow covered Mount Rainier and the rushing waters of the White River right next to it. This hike took me about 5 hours in total to complete (including breaks, lunch, and detours). It's definitely a day hike, so bring enough food and water to keep yourself nourished. Also, make sure you have some really comfortable hiking shoes/boots and hiking poles for the way down if you have bad knees. Coming down can be just as tough as hiking up because of the steepish downhill for 3 miles straight. This one is definitely going in the books as one of my favorite National Park hikes and my favorite Washington state hike thus far. If you're looking for a challenge and a great way to see the beauty of Mount Rainier National Park, Glacier Basin Trail is a great option.

As a Seattle native, I can say that this is my favorite hike I've ever been on. The hike has a fork…read moreabout a mile in. If you fork left, there is a relatively short (~30 min) but steep trail that leads to the glacier basin. The water is a bright teal with mountains in the background, one of the best views I've ever seen. My friends and I went swimming in the basin, which was very cold but also very fun. If you stay on the main trail, it is an additional 6 miles that is moderate-difficult and took about 3 hours to get up. At the top, there is a really pretty meadow and campground. You will need a Mt. Ranier National Park pass ($50 annual or $30/week) to enter. I went on a weekday in the morning and had no trouble finding parking. The main trail was quite empty, but the left fork had a couple other groups. However, we more or less had the place to ourselves. Overall, 10/10 would reccomend!

The coal creek nature area is like a secret forest. Hidden in between Coal Creek Parkway and…read moredifferent neighborhoods bordering Bellevue and Newcastle. The waterfall here is dependent on the weather. Tucked into a small creek/canyon area. The trail is beautiful and loads of ferns everywhere. The green state really shines down in this area too. Of course in the summer it becomes a bit browner. Springtime and the blackberry bushes line certain parts of the trails. Trail access varies depending on where you go. Various signage gives you a history of the area. So lucky to have access to this lovely trail. Get out there and enjoy life. SYOY!

It was a beautiful day for a hike and we decided to check out Coal Creek Falls Trail…read more It was so peaceful and very pretty. Just what we both needed after a hectic work week. What was really interesting to us, was a long the trail there were signs giving the coal mining history along the trail. There are multiple trails to explore and I look forward to coming back another time to explore some of the other trails. They also have horse trails, which is pretty cool. I just need to find a horse and learn how to ride one.

A MUST when visiting Mt. Rainier / Crystal Mountain resort - it was the perfect way to admire what…read morethe wifey had just accomplished, running down the gigantic mountain, the ride up is about 10 - 15mins, all worth it!!! breath taking views of Mt. Rainier, do dress accordingly, it was pretty windy and about 10 degrees colder up on the mountain. there is a restaurant/restrooms observation chairs and a beer garden at the top! but the view!!! stunning, the greens/whites/ snow peak colors with the sky blue in the background. as usual parking could be hit or miss, they do have several parking lots but the closest one to the gandola ( the paved one ) is on the smaller side, they have other lots designated by letters ( which also unpaved ) Info on Gondola here: https://www.crystalmountainresort.com/things-to-do/activities/mt-rainier-gondola

Came for the day while friends skied. Beautiful, sunny and gorgeous! Snow already melting - this…read moreis the last day of the season. Gondola tickets $54 each and you get 2 round trips.

Gorgeous place! We were able to go snowshoeing for free! Plenty of parking on the side of the road…read more Highly recommend bringing hiking poles since it's super icy this season!

Definitely arrive early because the lot with fill up fast! A NW Forest pass is required for…read moreparking. This trail is very rocky so make sure to have good hiking shoes and trekking poles. There was also lots of bugs on this trail so definitely pack bug spray as well. The view is beautiful, a little crowded but I came around 7:30am so it wasn't too bad.

Decided to go Trout Fishing on Friday (5/16/25) afternoon around 2:00 PM. When we got to the Lake,…read morethere were 4 people at the fishing spot. We set up our gear and poles. It was kind of a gloomy day, so fish weren't biting as often. About 2 hours later, we had caught 3 Trouts each. Getting the next 2 took a while longer, as I caught mine an hour and a half later to get my limit of 5. Dunno what factors caused the fish not to bite that regularly, but it was definitely a very slow day/evening fishing on the shore. Caught a couple of big ones, though. Nice sized fish...

I've been to Lake Wilderness many times over the years for family get togethers, and a graduation…read moreparty brought me here again yesterday! The space here is huge and there's lots to see and do. There's an area with a playground for kids which is camp themed, and there's also different types of sport courts. The bathrooms are clean and well-maintained as well. There's also covered areas that you can rent which have basic grills that you can use for stuff like hotdogs and burgers. The water always seems pretty clean. I haven't swam in it but my siblings and kids have and it always seems fine. They also have boat rentals here which are really cool, and there's a few different types that you can rent. It's a little over $20 an hour but I think it's worth it for sure. It's a great lake and I'm sure we'll be back quite a few times this summer!

Picked this hike from the Washington Trails book, about 9.5 miles roundtrip with a 2700 elevation…read moregain. This was a tough hike, even though I chose it since the book said "moderate" and even looking up some reviews people had said the hike as relatively simple to enjoy a fantastic lake view. We were both pretty dead at the end due to the length and steep inclines. Knees were pretty banged up because of all the rocks. The trail in the beginning wasn't so bad, definitely got my heart pumping because of the elevation, but as you go higher up there were a lot of switchbacks and seemingly no end in sight. We hustled up the mountain pretty quickly though, which was why we were so tired at the end. The view is definitely worth it in the end; recommend bringing a hammock! There's also plenty of sitting area through slabs of rocks. Coming down we encountered: 1) a girl who was crying we believe because of the toughness of the trail, 2) a couple who stopped us to ask how much longer it was to the top (they unfortunately weren't even halfway) which signifies how tough this hike was. Definitely recommend bringing more than enough water or you will definitely be dehydrated (like we were). Otherwise glad we did this and would recommend (you won't regret it but your body will hate you haha).

Pretty but tough, Melakwa Lake gets you with its length and steady elevation gain. The trailhead…read moreis located in Snoqualmie and is part of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area. Be sure to pick up a Northwest Forest Pass before you head over as the closest visitor center is about a 15 min drive away at Exit 52. If you've scoped out the WTA site already, it'll say that the trailhead has a parking lot for approximately 30ish cars with additional room to park along the side of the road. As the trailhead is shared with the very popular Denny Creek, I'd recommend you head early to snag a spot and to carpool - my friends and I arrived around 9AM and the lot was completely packed. There appears to be two parts to this hike - the family-friendly portion to Denny Creek and then the rocky and long jaunt up to Melakwa Lake. We saw a lot of families on the trail headed to the creek, which makes the perfect picnic spot during low water. If you want to continue on toward Melakwa Lake, head straight over to the other side of the creek where you'll find a tiny sign labeled "Main Trail" posted on a tree. The crowd thinned out after Denny Creek/the water slide (as referred to on WTA) as the hike got a bit tougher and rockier. If you have hiking boots, wear them, as you'll encounter two, long stretches of rocky terrain. The 2,000 ft elevation gain is gradual, but definitely noticeably on the last leg. You'll head up for what feels like forever before the trail starts to dip down again, taking you to the edge of the lake. This hike feels long, so be sure to bring an ample amount of water and snacks to help power on to the end! Once you're at the lake, there's room for you to sit out on the rocks before your journey back down. We even saw a few people swimming in the water - must've been so cold! XD My friends weren't the biggest fans of this hike, mainly because of the length, but I still think it's worth a visit with the right prep. Also, don't forget to bring bug spray! Apparently Melakwa is Chinook for mosquito, haha. :)

There's no flaming geyser are here anymore. It's a beautiful park though. Beautiful green grasses…read moreand you can hike to the river.

Flaming Geyser is a great, well-maintained state park in the Auburn area. The "flaming geyser"…read moreburns a bit like a candle, what I feel like is the main draw to this park would be its great walking/hiking trails never to the river or in the forested areas. Great areas for picnicking too.

Dog friendly park with many trails to explore. Wear waterproof shoes as parts of the trail were in…read morewater. I was able to doge it but if you like splashing it could be fun. The trails were varied in size, wide and narrow. A dog friendly park as you can tell by the photos. Beautiful scenery and a lake in the middle of the park. I look forward to exploring this park more. The parking lot is very small. Across the street was a larger parking lot, but not sure if it was actually part of the park. No bathrooms here that I could determine. Happy trails fellow Yelpers.

Quiet, plenty to see, love that the landscapes provide enough variable grounds for all type of…read morewalkers. From hiking trail like to paved "bridges". Easy trail for all ages. But has enough hills to keep the more advanced walkers entertained. 2 water area view. Parking is limited but it's ok. There are benches so you can rest. Plenty of shades and sunny areas.