Many others were enjoying the trails along the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Road on this beautiful warm and sunny day. We meandered the Oxbow Loop Trail from the second and larger parking area. The outhouses were clean and stocked with paper. No wildlife was seen other than a butterfly and one robin. The star of the flower show was the thousands of bleeding heart flowers! Stream violets, salmonberry, trillium and spring beauty were other flowers seen. Some of the many log benches are starting to rot.

The light was beautiful about 5:30 when we hiked the extension and the loop.  The water was glassy and the reflections held our attention.  There were quite a few different wildflowers blooming.  And there were mosquitos!  

On the drive out, we saw a bear foraging its way along a pond.  That was a lovely treat.  On the way in, by Twin Falls Middle School, herd of elk were browsing.  And a grouse was by the side of the road.

The hike was beautiful today. The directions are accurate in WTA description. We arrived at 9am and still 2 parking spots at main trailhead (only allows for 6 or 7 cars, bigger lot down the road). Walked from trailhead to bigger parking lot, it’s a very nice trail walk with great views of the mountains and river, takes about 20 minutes roundtrip for that trail walk. Headed back to the main trail and walked the loop. The trail is in great shape. It’s a fairly easy walk with slow decline at beginning and easy incline at the end. We meandered at the river, the lake, the viewpoints and at big mossy trees. It took us about 90 minutes to complete the loop. If not meandering, probably a 45-60 minute walk. It’s a great, wonderful and beautiful easy trail hike.

Really beautiful trail and starts of with gorgeous views right away. We did the trail counter clockwise. A little more than half way around the loop you can break off to access the river (with a well signed trail). My pup loved getting her paws wet:) 

The trail is on great condition, no mud. Mountains in the distance still have a fresh dusting of snow and look beautiful! 

I think this trail has two trailheads and we parked at the first. If you drive down the road a bit more, the second th has the bathroom 

After reading the recent article in The Seattle Times about this hike - and having recently taken a Mountaineers moss class, I decided to check out Oxbow Lake Loop on this fine early spring day.

I hadn't driven up along this road in over 15 years.  There was a decent amount of traffic at 09:45 on a Sunday morning.  After passing the already-full Mailbox parking lot, I arrived at the main Oxbow Lake TH to find a few parking spots still open (though, by the end of my hike, the TH was completely full and cars were waiting to park).

Taking my time, I hiked slowly and looked at the mosses, the trees, the birds, the plants.  There was a decent amount of bird activity today:  several Pacific wrens, American robins, a couple Steller's jay, chickadees, a brown creeper, a red breasted sapsucker, and on the lake:  a pair of hooded mergansers (the male in gorgeous breeding plumage), a pair of ring-necked ducks, and 4 Canada geese that came flying in.  A pretty good birding day.  

The variety and amount of mosses and lichens on the huge old Big Leaf Maples and Sitka Spruce trees was wonderful to see today.  This trail is elfin paradise...and to think a "rainforest-like" trail is just 45 minutes from Seattle!

Bonus for me:  I saw my first trillium of the season today!  There were 3 of them along the loop trail.  It's a great sign of the season when the trillium start popping and showing off in the sun!  There were also a couple patches of pioneer violets bursting out in their lovely buttery yellow.

Throughout the day, there were quite a few people on the trail.  Thankfully, the groups were spaced out enough that I had plenty of moments of solitude to listen to the birdsong.

A great hike for getting back into hiking (for me) after a long winter and for exploring nature.