We stumbled on this trail last year, but only made it half way to the lake (not knowing there was a lake but suspecting). We came back on the almost longest day of the year to bag it on our usual Wednesday night hike. We crossed the gateway bridge at 5:00pm and were engaged in a world of drizzle, mud, rocks, blowdowns and fog until Midnight.

We were going to turn around at 8:00 but we went past that and at 8:15 there was only 300' of altitude left. Well, that last 300' included an extra 200' to the top of the bowl the lake is buried in. We made it to the lake at 9:00. Very pretty, but foggy so we didn't see much of the surroundings. We went down by flashlight made it out safe but exhausted. Several blowdowns on the trail. One had been cut most of the way through. Ran out of gas??

The Rainy Creek Trail is a little known route in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie valley. The lower portion of the trail traverses a hidden valley featuring a lush second growth forest and a lovely cascading creek. The trail then steepens into a rough scramble route, eventually reaching Rainy Lake.

To get there, park at the main Middle Fork Trailhead. Cross the foot bridge over the river, then turn right (west) at the far bank onto a rough path. This trail is actually a surviving remnant of the old Middle Fork trail that once went all the way to North Bend. Some spots are still in good shape and even feature old cedar planking, sad remnants of the trail's former glory.

The sporadically maintained trail travels west along the river bank through thick forest, then drops down onto a large gravel bar, a fine destination in itself on a sunny day. The tread resumes at the far end of the gravel bar. Shortly beyond the bar, a waterside cliff forces the trail to make a brief scramble up the hillside. Then the trail again descends a bit before reaching Rainy Creek.

Just beyond the creek, the trail turns sharply and heads up the valley. Despite the lack of official maintainance, the route is in fair shape and easy to follow, with only a few fallen logs and steep sections. In spots there are peekaboo views up to the cliffs of Stegasaurus Butte. The valley is a cool, peaceful place to linger.

After about a mile, the trail reaches the end of the valley and becomes much steeper and rougher. I had to turn back at this point due to lack of time.

The fisherman's trail to Rainy Lake starts as soon as you cross the bridge from the Middle Fork trailhead first turn right as soon as you leave the bridge and continue downstream toward Rainy Creek. Once you hit the sandbar the trail starts to climb and traverse towards the creek, cross the creek and start climbing. The trail for the most part is easy to follow and the first half is fairly easy grade. At approx. 3200ft cross the creek resume climbing. Here the pitch steepens and is much more sustained. The trail crosses the 3900 ft mark before descending to the lake. There is some snow ringing the lake, but is ice free. The bugs weren't too bad, all and all a great day!