Information about this hike provided in partnership with
Mountaineers Books.
Copyright © Dan A. Nelson/The Mountaineers Books Iron Horse Trail: Washington Creek
The Iron Horse Trail runs down the middle of the linear John Wayne State Park. The trail utilizes the old rail line known as the Milwaukee Road, which carried locomotives of the Chicago-Milwaukee-St. Paul-Pacific Railroad. The trail runs from Rattlesnake Lake to Idaho and is the only east-west cross-state trail.
From Rattlesnake Lake start up the old rail-trail as it crosses Boxley Creek and heads east along the northern flank of Cedar Butte. The trail is relatively flat and wide enough for a family of four to walk side by side. Take your time and enjoy the walk along this historic route. At 4 1/2 miles out, you'll find yourself on a towering trestle spanning the deep cut of Change Creek, and in another 1/4 mile another one crossing Hall Creek. These massive wooden structures offer those with acrophobia a chance to experience their fear, while the rest of you can experience the stunning views out over the lower South Fork Snoqualmie Valley and its intersection with the broad Middle Fork Valley. Mount Si and Mailbox Peaks stand tall to the north, marking the west and east flanks of the Middle Fork Valley.
Driving Directions:
From Seattle drive east on I-90 to exit 32 (436th Avenue SE). Turn right (south) on 436th Avenue SE (Cedar Falls Road SE) and drive about 4.5 miles, passing the Rattlesnake Lake parking area, until you find the Iron Horse Trailhead parking area on the left. Recent Trip Reports
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Iron Horse Trail: Washington Creek
— Mar 13, 2012
— adventuring_jen
Day hike
Issues:
Snow on trail
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What a lovely day for a xc ski adventure! There was just enough snow, ranging from about 1- 3 inche...
What a lovely day for a xc ski adventure! There was just enough snow, ranging from about 1- 3 inches. There were a few spots with very little snow, especially at the beginning but we managed just fine. We arrived at the empty trailhead at 10:30, where we almost missed the left turn at the sign "Iron Horse Trail" JUST after the Rattlesnake parking area. There is a map past the bathrooms we found the map helpful. We were mostly beginners and skiied left towards Twin Falls until 12. We did not reach the Twin Falls trailhead/bathroom as shown on the map but had a great time and enjoyed the solitude! A recommended trip!
Iron Horse Trail: Washington Creek
— Oct 15, 2011
— Tron
Day hike
Features:
Fall foliage
Issues:
Water on trail
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The weather: low hanging overcast clouds in the mid-50's. Trail was in very good shape. We were ther...
The weather: low hanging overcast clouds in the mid-50's. Trail was in very good shape. We were there pretty late in the day, so we only saw a few family's making their way back. The hike-as-recommended ends near Deception Crags which had a good 10-15 people making use of it. Making our way back it got very dark, and the last 30 minutes was difficult without proper light. This is a long, but easy hike even at a brisk pace. The trail provides a pleasant walk if you're looking for a nice long walk in the woods, but word trail and service road are interchangeable here. It's not a good hike if you're looking for seclusion.
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming | Ripe berries
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I did a 9.5 mile solo trail run starting from the Rattlesnake Lake parking lot (Cedar Falls) to just...
I did a 9.5 mile solo trail run starting from the Rattlesnake Lake parking lot (Cedar Falls) to just past Twin Falls, and back. Cool, misty, perfect weather for it, since some parts are exposed. Not really any bugs, trail is in great condition. I saw a pile of fresh scat on the trail which I was afraid could be bear (definitely not dog, horse, or human), but I am not an expert, so not sure. There are a lot of ripe berries along the trail, though. The gentle grade going up is not that noticeable but makes for an easy return trip.
Day hike
Issues:
Blowdowns | Snow on trail
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decide to try this trail with the girlfriend after hiking rattlesnake ledge 2 days earlier. Lots of ...
decide to try this trail with the girlfriend after hiking rattlesnake ledge 2 days earlier. Lots of snow on the trail!
Day hike
Issues:
Snow on trail
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Move over, Methow Valley. The latest, greatest cross-country ski destination is the Iron Horse Trail...
Move over, Methow Valley. The latest, greatest cross-country ski destination is the Iron Horse Trail at North Bend's Rattlesnake Lake park. A foot of powder snow coats the trail for your skinny ski pleasure. Conditions this good for skiing occur here perhaps once a winter.
I hitched up Lex, my lab/shepherd mix, to his skijoring harness and took him for a spin* along the Iron Horse Trail, going about a mile past the Cedar Butte trail turnoff. Someone had set a nice track, which should last a few hours until the stomping, tromping hordes of snowshoers and booters appear to spoil the fun. Then, reversing direction, I skied to the Cedar River nature center. The rain drum garden was full of snow and out of commission, unsurprisingly. From here, I followed the Lakeshore Trail through Rattlesnake Lake Park back to my car. *well ,a 50 lb dog can't pull that hard...no free ride for me, except for short bursts when he spotted a squirrel ahead or noticed an intriguing scent. Then there were those times when he veered into the forest chasing one of those scents. But otherwise, the skijoring sort of worked, especially heading back where the 2 percent downhill grade provided a bit of a boost. |
 Iron Horse Trail. Photo copyright Alan Bauer.
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