Towering volcanos. Alpine ridges covered with fields of wildflowers. Raging wilderness rivers filled with wild salmon. Rugged glacier-clad peaks. You won't find any of them here on the Tradition Plateau. But sometimes, one doesn't feel like driving very far or working very hard. On those days, the Tradition Plateau is perfect.
From the main parking lot, I started my Plateau adventure on the well-groomed Tradition Trail (gravel surfaced to be wheelchair accessible). No elevation gain to be seen here. After a 0.2 mile saunter through the lush douglas fir forest, I turned off onto the equally well groomed Bus Trail, also graveled and mud-free. The trail crossed several charming creeks, now revived by the recent rains. After a half mile of exertion-free rambling, I reached the scarred hulk of the old Greyhound Scenicruiser, after which the trail is named.
Just past the bus, the ""bus trail"" branched off the gravel trail at an unmarked intersection. The WTA did a great job repairing flood damage here. Crossing the new WTA culvert, I continued east on the bus trail. The forest here is rich in alders, that having dropped their leaves, provided a view of Tiger Mountain looming (sort of) to the south.
Eventually, the trail broke out of the forest onto the meadowy Gas Line trail, and shortly afterward, the road-like Bonneville Trail. I turned left (south) and walked 0.3 miles to a poorly marked intersection with the Poo-Poo point trail, where a 20 foot hill provided required a bit of exertion. The power lines aren't particularly pretty, but this stretch is nice and open, pleasant when it's sunny.
Past here, the trail turned west, dove back into forest, and became the High School trail. After a short bit, I turned right onto the Adventure Trail, which immediately started climbing to a ""pass"" in the hilly west edge of the plateau. The 100 foot climb to the pass got my heart racing, and I was glad to reach the top. Whew! This pass offered the biggest ""workout"" of the trip. From there, the trail dropped down into a quiet forested valley, one of the nicest places on the Plateau. There's a downed log or two on the trail. After a mile, the Adventure Trail passed a unsigned junction with the Wetlands trail (also very nice), then shortly afterward reached the Puget Power Trail. I crossed this powerline swath, and shortly after turned onto the Big Tree Trail. This trail offered a gentle ramble through thick doug fir second growth. Freeway noise was intrusive here, but subsided further on.
Soon I reached the Big Tree, which was really quite impressive. It's a Tradition Plateau must- see. How it escaped the loggers, I don't know. The Big Tree trail continued on past more utility swaths, then transformed itself into the Swamp Trail. The wetlands provided a nice change of scenery. Extensive boardwalks get one safely across the swamps, although the boards can be fiendishly slick when wet or icy. At last, the trail climbed up a little hill, and I arrived back at the main parking lot.
Total Mileage, about 3.5 miles. Elevation gain, minimal. Serenity gain, huge!