Kelsey Creek Farm was rather busy today with summer camps and some of the trails were blocked off for what appeared to be dredging a section of the creek. We were still able to access the main trails behind the farm. It was cool and shady in the woods by the creek and the farm has a new pair of sheep.

Our family is hiking the month of August to raise funds for WTA's Hike-A-Thon so that the trails can continue to be enjoyed by future generations. Please consider contributing, every $ helps! https://give.wta.org/Jenchilada2022

#hikeathon #teamtacosformiles

The entrance to the Kelsey Creek park nature trails starts at a parking lot near the Kelsey Creek farm, which is usually open with some hikers and families - although generally it is not too busy. In the mornings, the weather is very hot and bright, which made it difficult to take photos while avoiding lens flare. The hiking trail itself leads over regular gravel terrain as well as paved walkways, which lead for a few miles - making it a relatively easy and short walk near the park and farmland areas. Wooden posts along the trail forks indicate where certain sections of the trail connect with other neighboring paths that branch out extensively, such as the Lake to Lake trail and the Wilburton Hill park trail. A good portion of the trail passes by the farm at Kelsey Creek with a few animals, but it isn't a part of the hike itself.

Despite the sunny weather, some parts of the gravel trail are still muddy with puddles from previous rainfall. The trail is mostly wide open grass field areas with little to no shade during the morning and afternoons, lacking nearby trees and forests like traditional hiking locations. The plants and wildlife at the park and trails were expectedly ordinary, with mostly evergreen trees, berry bushes, and birds. There are a few small water streams with wood bridges that cross over them, which make the hiking path more interesting. Apparently the signs at the bridge claim that "Invasive New Zealand mud snails" inhabit the waters, but that seems highly debatable and not very present to hikers. At the end of the trail located in the opposite direction of the farms, there is a small park where families sit around in. Generally, the hike is good for everyone as well as pets. 

Walked about about a 4.5 mile, 450 foot sort of figure 8 walking loop by starting at Bellevue Botanical Gardens, circling around there for a bit then taking the "back way" to Wilburton Hill playfield area via the Ravine Exploration at the Botanic Gardens, down the wooded hill at Wilburton to a couple neighborhood blocks and then a loop around Kelsey Creek, and back. Good alternative for a near town non-urban walk and especially enjoyed the Botanical Gardens as part of it. 

The parking lot at Kelsey Creek Park is open! 

I did the entire loop, and it was very relaxing. There are some up and downs, but it's mostly flat. The scenery is not bad at all!

Most of the people I ran into were face masks 

The trails behind the farm area are hidden and I didn't realize how much forested area there was. These loops are lush with forests, running creeks, small bridges and little hills. The trails stretch in miles of crisscrosses around the forest and back to the farm.

I was pleasantly surprised by the light rugged feel of the forest given how pastoral the main park is.

I have also taken some of the trails on a bike. While fun, they are steep and interrupted by stairs in a few parts.