Saw that the weather was going to be rainy and did not want to waste yet another weekend without a hike. Initially wanted to go to the De Leo trail but ended up going to a trailhead which did not have a parking. From there, made our way to the Redtown trailhead parking. Very fun hike so close to the city, yet providing an ample amount of dense forest around you. Easy 2.5 mile hike and we did it without any difficulty even though it was raining moderately. Will definitely recommend for a quick escape from the city. There are plenty of other intersecting trails around - part of the Cougar Mountain trails. If you are looking for a easy 1 hour hike, go for it.

eight and a half miles happily covered in mud. rainy day escape

Went for a nice Sunday hike with my 4 year old. A little muddy and rainy but all in all a great day. Parking lot was full however, trail wasn't too packed. Did several different trails to get in extra miles. The waterfalls did not disappoint!

We spent the rainy afternoon on Cougar Mountain, completing the following 5-6-mile network of trails (starting/ending at Red Town Trailhead): Red Town (W2) --> Cave Hole (C3) --> Coal Creek Falls (C4) --> Quarry (C6) --> Fred's Railroad (C7) --> Shy Bear (S2) --> Far Country Lookout (S1) --> Indian Trail (W7) with a stop at Far Country Falls and Ballpark Meadow --> Red Town (W2) After the recent rain, most of the trails were muddy, but no longer inundated in water as previous reports had noted. The mud, showers, and few small stream crossings made me grateful for my waterproof boots. The recent rain also meant Coal Creek Falls was quite impressive today (see video below) and Far Country Falls, no longer frozen, was also a pretty sight to see. In addition to the water being up and trails being muddy, a few mushrooms are starting to appear and trees are budding; spring is coming!

Great little hike in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park! I've hiked to Coal Creek Falls in the summer before and it was bone dry, but that's definitely not the case this time of year. I arrived at the Red Town Trailhead just before noon and there was still parking available. There were a decent number of people mingling at the trailhead, but there are so many trail options that once I set out I felt like I had the park to myself. Coal Creek Falls looks great right now and is a quick and easy hike if that's all you're looking to see. I decided to also hit up Far Country Falls by way of the Indian Trail, and I'm glad I did. While it's maybe not as in-you-face as Coal Creek Falls, it's still a scenic little mountain stream. I made my way back to the trailhead along the Red Town Trail, which runs right alongside Coal Creek for a short section near a restored meadow. Between the four trails listed at the top of this report and a couple short spurs and detours, the hike came in at around 4 miles. The trails are all easy hikes and free of obstructions, junctions are clearly marked, and free maps are available at the trailhead. I saw both children and older hikers enjoying themselves, so you won't have a problem. Some sections can get fairly muddy, but that should be no surprise given the recent weather. Overall, a great way to spend a few hours and a fun start to my hiking season!