This was such a fun hike! Perfect for a rainy day. Not many people and plenty of parking. Very vibrant greens and great trails. Definitely check out the bus but follow the trail to the right around the lake first, then double back. It’s worth it. Lots of nice views and fantastic mosses and stumps. Be prepared for copious mud in places. 

We started on the trail just before 10 AM. It was overcast, with no rain. The trail itself was clear of all snow and ice, with minimal mud, and was overall in good condition.

We followed the route set by AllTrails (Tradition Lake Loop). We clocked ~3.5 miles and 312 feet of elevation gain. The route was rather easy and very enjoyable.

There were several plants that were even beginning to bud.

BIRDS: Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet

FUNGI: Bird’s Nest Fungus, Witch’s Butter, and Sulfur Tuft (tentative identifications), along with an unidentified Polypore or Bracket fungus.

HIGHLIGHTS: Tradition Lake, the old abandoned school bus, and the Big Tree Trail—where the big tree had an incredible energy! Additional small lakes and swamps along the Wetlands Trail added to the scenery.

The Tiger Mountain High School trailhead is within walking distance from my house, so this report is in keeping with the #LoveLocalTrails theme.  

In this hike, I used numerous trails on the Tradition Plateau, meandering to the various highlights: Round Lake, Tradition Lake, the Old Bus, the Swamp Trail, the old logging block in Park Pointe, and the Big Tree.

Round lake is still mostly frozen over, but the melting has begun with the warmer weather.  

Also noteworthy, the last tree that was crossing any of the trails I like to do on the tradition Plateau was cleared in the last few days.  Thanks to the land managers who have done such a great job clearing the trails after the great storm.

#LoveLocalTrails 

There were so many cars completely lining the road leading up to the parking lot that I considered turning around. However, I decided to continue to the parking lot and was lucky to find someone just leaving, freeing up a spot. The parking lot was somewhat slick, so be careful when walking in this area.

I started on the trail around 11:30. Overall, the trail is in great condition with no obstacles. To my surprise, I saw a few people, but I had the trail mostly to myself.

The route I took:
Tradition Lake Trail → Around the Lake Trail → Bus Trail → Wetlands Trail → Adventure Trail → Ruth Kees Big Tree Trail → Swamp Trail (per AllTrail’s Tradition Lake Loop)

Highlights: Tradition Lake, Round Lake, Big Tree – a favorite old tree, Hair ice along the trail

The weather was beautiful, with clear blue skies and temperatures likely in the mid-30s. Some parts of the trail were frost-free, while others had a lovely dusting of frost.

Total stats: 3.2 miles and 305 feet of elevation gain

The parking lot was overflowing, even all handicapped spots were occupied and people were parking along the street that leads up to the trailhead. This is a popular location, take that into account. Especially when the weather is nice as it was today.

The trails were in great condition, basically all the storm damage has been removed from the trails. This is a great location to take your kids.