Allen Cox - Best Easy Day Hikes Seattle

Best Easy Day Hikes Series

Best Easy Day Hikes Seattle

Allen Cox

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Every effort has been made by the author and editors to make this guide as accurate and useful as possible. However, many things can change after a guide is publishedtrails are rerouted, regulations change, facilities come under new management, etc.

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Copyright 2009 by Morris Book Publishing, LLC

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to The Globe Pequot Press, Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437.

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Layout artist: Kevin Mak

Project manager: John Burbidge

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cox, Allen.

Best easy day hikes Seattle / Allen Cox.

p. cm. -- (Falconguides)

ISBN 978-1-4930-0562-8

1. Hiking--Washington (State)--Seattle Region--Guidebooks. 2. Seattle Region (Wash.)--Guidebooks. I. Title.

GV199.42.W22S423 2009

796.5109797'77--dc22

2009010711

The author and The Globe Pequot Press assume no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book.

Contents

The Hikes

Acknowledgments

First I would like to extend my appreciation to all who advocate for sensible land management and the conservation of public lands and wild habitats. Without their work, few places such as the ones included in this guidebook would be set aside for the rest of us to enjoy.

I would like to thank the land management agencies responsible for the trails included in this guidebook for their cooperation and assistance: Seattle Parks and Recreation, King County Parks, Washington State Parks, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, and University of Washington.

My sincere appreciation goes out to my editor, Scott Adams, and the outstanding team at The Globe Pequot Press for their guidance and clarity in helping me shape this guidebook.

Lastly, I am grateful to Robert Pruett, Roger Ward, and Dana Price, my dear friends and hiking companions, who know how to appreciate an easy day hike better than anyone. Without them, researching this book would have required many lonely hours on the trail.

Introduction

The Lay of the Landand Water

When you fly into Seattle on a clear day, it appears that theres more water than land. It is a city on and of the water. Puget Sound makes up Seattles entire western border, and the vast Lake Washington, the eastern. A ship canal slices the city in half as it passes through yet another lake, Lake Union, and connects the two larger bodies of water. The Duwamish River snakes through the citys south end and empties into Elliott BaySeattles busy commercial port.

With Seattle waterlocked on two sides and landlocked on its narrower north and south ends, the only way for the city to grow is up. Neighboring municipalities sprawl north, south, and across Lake Washington, which is spanned by two floating bridges. With all that water, one of Seattles greatest attributes is its miles of waterfront property, shoreline public space, and dramatic water views.

East across Lake Washington sits another lake nearly as long, Lake Sammamish, with the neighboring cities of Redmond, Bellevue, and Issaquah lining its shores. Beyond that, continuing east and up, the Cascade foothills rise with plenty of land set aside for public use.

What does this landscape do for recreational opportunities in and around the city? If you guessed boating, sailing, swimming, scuba diving, bicycling, jogging, and even parasailing, youd be correct. But lets not forget about hiking. Seattleites love to hit the trail and take out-of-towners along on the walk. Networks of trails in and around the city offer a variety of settings and terrains, from urban waterfront hikes with stunning views of Seattles skyline to quiet treks through old-growth forest. The King County Regional Trail System is one of the nations largest with 175 miles (and growing) of public multiuse trails, so theres a hike in the Seattle area to suit every hiking ability.

This guidebook has attempted to select the best easy day hikes in and around Seattle, all within an hours drive from downtown and none requiring a ferry ride across Puget Sound.

Seattle-Area Boundaries and Corridors

For the purposes of this guide, the best easy day hikes are located throughout the city and stretch into King County; all are confined to a one-hour drive from downtown Seattle.

Interstate 5 is the main north-south artery through Seattle. From I-5, Interstate 90 and Highway 520 both head east via floating bridges across Lake Washington. The only routes west from Seattle are via ferry service across Puget Sound. None of the hikes in this book are located west of Seattle, and none require ferry transportation from the city. Directions to trailheads are given from either downtown Seattle or one of these three main arteries.

Weather

Seattle enjoys a temperate, generally cool climate with four distinct seasons, few extremes, and an average of fifty-eight days bathed in full sun. The city receives only about 36 inches of annual rainfall over an average 155 days a year. So how did it earn a reputation as one of the wettest U.S. cities when, in fact, it doesnt even rank among the top ten?

Seattle is tucked between the Olympic and Cascade Ranges where clouds gather from the Pacific and can loom for long stretches. When it rains, the city tends to get misted with protracted periods of drizzle. The rainiest seasons are late fall and winter, when torrential Pacific storms occasionally blow through.

Theres an old quip about Northwesterners having webbed feet. The truth is that they dont often let a cloudy day or a little drizzle slow them down. Cloudy, wet days in the Pacific Northwest possess their own beauty. The forests glisten and come alive. Fog and mist shroud the hilltops and define contours otherwise not seen. The air is fresh, with grit and dust washed away. With the right gear, you can still enjoy the local trails, whatever the weather.

Part of being prepared for your hike is checking the weather forecast. If weather conditions are potentially hazardous, which is rare, postpone your hike. If weather conditions are favorable to a safe experience on the trail, enjoy yourself, rain or shine.