Paradise Valley Conservation Area
A relatively new Snohomish County park near Woodinville offers a good close-in outdoor escape. Mostly level trails loop through and around the headwaters of Bear Creek, a highly productive salmon stream within the Sammamish River Valley. Big trees and wetlands define the 793-acre wildlife area.
Several miles of walking and biking trails meander throughout the site. A trail map and park brochure are available: http://www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/[…]/paradisevalley.htm You will need to share some of the trails with mountain bikers, but others are set aside for hikers only. The shortest one is the Cascara Trail, but longer loops off the Mainline Trail will take you through the Wetland Plateau, over the Southern Traverse, with opportunities for nice views of the Cascades on a clear day. Fun activities along the way include looking for a village of piled stones like cairns on top of a glacial erratic, picnicking at The Clearing after you have looped through the trail network, and locating one of the hidden geocaches.
Driving Directions:
From Everett, take I-5 south to exit 182 merging onto I-405 S (Renton-Bellevue). Take SR522/I-405 exit toward SR202 (Monroe-Wenatchee). Take left fork merging onto SR522 E. Turn right at Paradise Lake Rd. Parking lot is just north of the Lloyd family farm on the west side of the road. Recent Trip Reports
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Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Mudholes | Bugs
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This was the first sunny day after a week of on and off light rain. There is a gravel parking lot at...
This was the first sunny day after a week of on and off light rain. There is a gravel parking lot at the trail head with a decent amount of space. The trail was fairly muddy in various places still but you can walk around them for the most part.
We saw a lot of bugs, and butterflies. There were a few species of wildflower blooming. The trail had some decent mix-ups in scenery, though not entirely scenic (it's a conservation after all, but still, not bad.) As we went during the weekday there wasn't really anyone there until the afternoon. Trails are well marked and vary in distance, it would probably be difficult to get lost. Day hike
Issues:
Mudholes | Water on trail
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Hello humans! This is Henry the Mountain Dog! I go hiking with my humans a lot! This hike was tons o...
Hello humans! This is Henry the Mountain Dog! I go hiking with my humans a lot! This hike was tons of fun! Even though my humans (mommy and 13 year old) were prepared for water, EVERYONE was muddy from the knees down. I suggest you bring a towel to wipe down after hiking and snacks. And doggy bags! Overall there were few people on this trail and it was a fun hike if you can beat the mud!
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming | Fall foliage
Issues:
Blowdowns | Overgrown | Mud/Rockslide | Water on trail | Bugs | No water source
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This hike is super easy and has a ton of options in various directions to keep you entertained for q...
This hike is super easy and has a ton of options in various directions to keep you entertained for quite awhile. Signs clearly mark how long each trail is in miles and who/what can go on each trail (foot, bicycles, or horses) (photo shown). I really love the forest and getting lost in the sound of silence. Birds chirped and there were a few bees heard while walking. Caution: there are A LOT of root trees exposed and turns throughout the hike but that makes is a lot more fun (at least for me). The trails are also very muddy with puddles but you can walk along the side of the trail just next to puddles (photo shown). There is also a nice little picnic area (photo shown). I like this hike a lot and it is very easy for anyone (novice or pro). We also saw leashed dogs of all sizes and people with mountain bikes and people walking with backpacks for 1/2 day hikes. I would gladly do this hike again in the future to explore more ground.
Paradise Valley Conservation Area
— Mar 31, 2013
— AIS
Day hike
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It was just the right length hike with kids and a pet. We did not find the cairn village - that was ...
It was just the right length hike with kids and a pet. We did not find the cairn village - that was the only disappointing part. Trails are narrow - which makes it exciting until you run into bikers. Over all fun hike for families.
Don't expect picnic spots except in the Clearing - just sit down to snack when you fell like it.
Paradise Valley Conservation Area
— Mar 25, 2013
— Leif
Day hike
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This is a nice park. It got really quiet as I walked further into the forest. It was pretty easy. I ...
This is a nice park. It got really quiet as I walked further into the forest. It was pretty easy. I ended up really wanting to come back with my mountain bike. I just kind of meandered around, kind of wishing there was some sort of river or lookout. But all in all, a quality hike.
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 Trail sign at Paradise Valley. Photo by whitebark.
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