Lord Hill Regional Park

This loop takes you on a tour through forest, around ponds and by wetlands. There is lots of wildlife here and if you are lucky, you might spot some of the residents of those ecosystems. You will get a good forest bath and hiking the hills and ravines will give you a decent workout too!

Before you head out, the first thing you need to do is download an updated 2023 map. The Pipeline Trail is the main north-south trail through the middle of the park, easy to find and follow. This loop will cross the Pipeline, take you through the east side of the park and back up the Pipeline on your return. Be aware that the trails on this loop are not signed.

• Trail Smarts
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• Who Goes First? Right-of-Way on Trail

Start your hike on the Entrance Trail between the lower and upper parking lot. Nicely built and relatively wide, it switchbacks down to hit the Main and Beaver Lake trails. For the east side ponds, turn left on the Beaver Lake trail (You will come back on the right upon your return).

Follow this trail as it cuts across the Pipeline trail. There is a little fence beside the trail that leads to the East Beaver Lake trail. Watch for old growth stumps: this area was logged at least twice, and homesteaded in the late 1800s by Mitchell Lord for whom the park is named.

In one mile is your first sighting of the marshy waters. Beaver Lake is more wetland than lake now, not too exciting for hikers, but great for birders. Here, the trail changes to the Red Barn. Follow it through the woods, skirting the park boundary. Cross a little puncheon bridge over a swampy area and just beyond is a huge root ball worthy of a picture with your hiking buddy in front of it. The Red Barn makes a big loop and comes to a 4-way intersection in just over 1.5 miles, where a small leather sign is tacked on to a tree between two trails on your right. It may, or may not, be useful to you. There is no other signage at this intersection.

Stay on the Red Barn as it loops around to meet the Temple Pond Loop and ends at 2 miles. There is a sign for the Red Barn at this intersection. Go left (south) on the Temple Pond Loop to the namesake, whose shores you'll reach after a nice stroll through the forest.

This is the largest pond in the park! Watch for ducks, beavers and other wildlife here. The trail takes a sharp jog northwest and crosses between Temple and Dragonfly Pond. Dragonfly is a small but charming little pond, maybe you will see a dragonfly or two! Just past Dragonfly Pond the trail meets the Temple Pond Connector. Go left (south) on the Connector, hiking along the west side of Temple Pond for more nice views of the pond and maybe a good place to stop for a snack.

The remains of old stumps, cattails and reflections of the surrounding trees are certainly picture worthy. Continue on the trail as it hits an intersection with the Sherwood Forest, keep left (south) as the trail is now named the Sherwood Forest trail. This trail meets with the Marsh Lake Loop on the southeast end of Temple Pond. Follow the Marsh Lake Loop south along a wooded ravine. When it meets the Panther Ridge trail keep right on the Marsh Lake Loop.

Follow the trail around Marsh Lake to the Loren's Ridge trail, catching glimpses of the aptly named Marsh Lake and the lowest point on your hike. Your return starts as you meet the Pipeline Trail in 4.4 miles. The Pipeline is an obvious trail, wide and open.

Turn right and head uphill. Your last little treat comes along the Pipeline as it skirts a little pond called Crossroads, as it intersects with Main Trail 3. There is a sign by the pond that directs you toward the Pipeline. Enjoy some tea by this little pond, then head up the hill on the Pipeline all the way to the Main Trail, signed Main Trail Cutoff at 5. 3 miles. Turn onto the Main Trail, follow until it meets Beaver Lake, then back to the Entrance Trail where you started.

WTA Pro Tip: Note: Snohomish Couty has big plans for improving this park in the future. They are in the process now of closing some social trails and reworking the parking lot to better accommodate the various user groups that have had conflicts in the past. While that is underway, please remember to yield appropriately, and be polite to other trail users you may encounter.