Gorgeous even in the light rain. The moss and ferns are lush and the creek is roaring. Arrived at 9:40 at the western most parking lot and there were still a couple of parking spots only on account of the drizzle.

The trail is in good condition with the exception of a handful of very muddy spots that call for trusty boots or rail runners. My friend’s dog was very muddy and very happy at the end of this walk!

The small waterfalls at Cougar were perfect for seeing some interesting ice formations. The temp at sunrise was a chilly 12 degrees F.  Fortunately there was minimal breeze.  Strong winds are forecast further east in the Cascade foothills so it was nice to be far enough west to avoid them.

The best ice formations were at the base of Coal Creek Falls and at Far Country Falls.  To see the best ice at Coal Creek Falls you have to scramble on the right side of the creek to the base of the falls that is obscured by some recently fallen trees.

The trail surface was excellent and did not require any traction devices. Snow was less than 1/2 inch deep.

RT 7.6 mi, 1300 ft

Pros: easy signage, good dog owners, good amount of mileage and incline.
Meh: lots of people who were out for a jaunt and perhaps not aware of etiquette (loud, walking 4 abreast…), we used Red Town but the Coal Creek one was busy and had garbage on the ground .
Don’t forget shoes that can get muddy.

Nice little trail in someone’s backyard yet feeling sufficiently secluded.

Trailhead at Coal Creek Pkwy fits about a dozen cars and has a couple portable toilets. Parking spots were available throughout the day.

Trail is pretty muddy in places, so you won’t want to go in your white tennis shoes. Route features a few ups and downs to brighten it up and add a little workout. Interpretive signs along the trail tell history of this place, making one think how much it changed throughout the last century. Waterfall at the very end of the trail is nothing huge but still a nice finale for your hike and a good turnaround point.

Rehabbing a hamstring, so this easy urban hike was just the ticket. I'd never been here before, but my buddy and I were up for trying something close to Seattle, with minimal elevation - but getting out into nature. 

Just wanted to give a heads up that there is construction on 68th just before the RedTown trailhead. You can't access it as of 1/3/23. However, there is a parking lot for the Cinder Trail immediately across the street, and that trail quickly intersects the Coal Creek Trail.  Due to the lack of recent rain - the waterfall was just a trickle.