Great day for it, although still a little smoky from the forest fires near Wenatchee. Using a manual wheelchair there were just a couple of places where a bit of a push came in useful. It would be easily done solo in a powered chair. Saw 6 other people and 2 dogs enjoying the trail. Didn't take a picnic lunch with me but it would be a great place to savor one at the picnic benches on the shores of the pond. Great conversion of an old gravel pit and a wonderful location right next to I90 for a break from driving ; )

The completely paved trail is clean and smooth. A wheelchair or walker would have no issues at all completing the loop. It was a very pretty Friday evening and I only saw one other person.

We drove over Snoqualmie pass from Seattle to do some snowshoeing despite the dismal weather. After crossing over the pass we encountered heavy slushy snow falling so we backtracked a bit and went to Gold Creek Pond where it was just cold enough to be snowing real snow. The road to the trailhead from the freeway exit at that time had 6 or more inches of snow on it- although a few trucks driving on it mashed it down enough to keep it somewhat driveable. From the trailhead we had to break trail to the pond, there was new snow over a firm base making a pleasant trip. When we got to the pond it was snowing lightly. We were surprised by the sight of a snowshoe? hare or jackrabbit in winter attire bounding into some trees in the distance. Then we realized he was being quietly followed by a bobcat (or lynx?)who stopped and stared at us and then skirted around us into the trees. After waiting a while with poised cellphone camera to try and get a shot without any luck we turned back down the trail and saw from some fresh tracks that the wiley bunny had crossed right behind us while we were distracted- which is why the bobcat seemed so interested in us! It turned out to be a much better day than we expected. the snow on the road had melted to bare pavement in places during the short time we were hiking but the snow was turning to drizzle as the day warmed up. On the return we stopped at the Library in North Bend where they have a new system set up for anybody to view and print recreation maps! thumbs up king County libraries

The pond is an easy accessible hike. The area is really beautiful. I recommend it for a quick hike or a picnic. See one of the photos I took here: http://www.shutterpoint.com/Photos-ViewPhoto.cfm?id=882965

This is a go-to hike for my family, offering something for everyone. It's flat and ADA-accessible, making it easy for my toddler to walk the whole way by herself. It has water, which the kids love. And there are nice mountain views for my husband and me to enjoy. It's hard to believe that this place was once a huge gravel pit for I-90 construction. It really is pretty. Signs still warn people not to fish or swim in the pond, so despite it's clarity, there is probably a fair amount of poison swirling about. There are still a few wildflowers, but they are certainly past their prime. And despite how easy it is to access this trail, there are very few people. I think it is because it is not written up in guidebooks. If you're looking for something leisurely with the children or with someone who can't walk far (or at all), this is a great place to go. It's also my final hike for WTA's Hike-a-Thon. The number of hikes is more impressive than the mileage: 6 hikes with the children and one glorious overnight backpack with a friend.